Why is my macro algae dying?

[ShrimpBandit]

My current 120g has been running for about 2 months. I seeded the fuge with chaeto and red ogo I had in two previously established tanks. The fuge is a (3g?) chamber inside my Eshopps R-100. There isn't enough flow for anything to tumble, really, but water comes in from the sock filter chamber and the UV sterilizer outlet, and drains to the return pump chamber. The fuge holds 20 marine pure 2" cubes and a chunk of live rock from my LFS. I'm using a Tunze Eco Chic Fuge light for 6 hours every night. Parameters are as follows:

Salinity - 1.026
Nitrates - 20 ppm
Phosphates - .22 ppm
Ph - 8
dKH - 8.6
Calcium - 440

I'm to the point of pulling out what's left, cleaning the hair algae off, and putting back little strands of ogo and chaeto. Hair algae hasn't managed to gain a foothold anywhere else in the tank, but it's definitely winning in my fuge.

Is this a matter of introducing some of my CUC and waiting for them to clean up? Lighting? Something else?

 

[T-J]

You could dose some chaeto gro. Could be a lack of iron.

 

[PatW]

I had a checkered experience with Chaeto. Like your refugium, the current in mine is not enough to allow tumbling.

At first my chaeto did fine, but when I cranked up my display tank lights, the chaeto died (The light in the refugium was not strong). So I got a new much stronger light for the refugium and the chaeto did fine.

My chaeto would go for awhile and then decline and die.

Finally, I tried Chaeto Gro. It has micro nutrients that growing chaeto depletes. Since adding chaeto gro, my chaeto has done fine.

Your experience could be different.

If you have the curiosity and time, you might watch the you tube videos by Bulk Reef Supply on chaeto.

 

[Duncan62]

My current 120g has been running for about 2 months. I seeded the fuge with chaeto and red ogo I had in two previously established tanks. The fuge is a (3g?) chamber inside my Eshopps R-100. There isn't enough flow for anything to tumble, really, but water comes in from the sock filter chamber and the UV sterilizer outlet, and drains to the return pump chamber. The fuge holds 20 marine pure 2" cubes and a chunk of live rock from my LFS. I'm using a Tunze Eco Chic Fuge light for 6 hours every night. Parameters are as follows:

Salinity - 1.026
Nitrates - 20 ppm
Phosphates - .22 ppm
Ph - 8
dKH - 8.6
Calcium - 440

I'm to the point of pulling out what's left, cleaning the hair algae off, and putting back little strands of ogo and chaeto. Hair algae hasn't managed to gain a foothold anywhere else in the tank, but it's definitely winning in my fuge.

Is this a matter of introducing some of my CUC and waiting for them to clean up? Lighting? Something else?

My tunze runs 24 hours a day in addition to a cheap BWRG strip fixture I pull out 2 big handfuls a day. Macros need nutrients. Do you feed the tank?

 

[Klyle]

Have you checked your magnesium level? I'm pretty sure really high mag can cause your chaeto to wither away... at least that's what I think did mine in.

 

[ShrimpBandit]

My tunze runs 24 hours a day in addition to a cheap BWRG strip fixture I pull out 2 big handfuls a day. Macros need nutrients. Do you feed the tank?

Have you checked your magnesium level? I'm pretty sure really high mag can cause your chaeto to wither away... at least that's what I think did mine in.

I just ordered a bottle of Chaeto Gro and a magnesium test kit. Thinking I'll add a snail and leave the fuge light on for a few days to see what happens.

I feed the tank 1-2 frozen cubes a day plus nori strips a few times a week. I also mix in some Reef Chili and OceanMagik once a week or so. DT has four clowns, three cardinals, one small hippo tang, one royal gramma, and a coral banded shrimp. Corals/inverts are mostly zoas, some ricordea, rhodactis, GSP, rock flowers, CUC. Everyone seems fat and happy, but I've definitely seen the nitrates and phosphates go up since the macro started to die.

Someone at my LFS told me today that I should just raise my alkalinity from 8/9ish to 11/12ish and that it would likely resolve the issue. Anyone else have that experience?

 

[Duncan62]

I just ordered a bottle of Chaeto Gro and a magnesium test kit. Thinking I'll add a snail and leave the fuge light on for a few days to see what happens.

I feed the tank 1-2 frozen cubes a day plus nori strips a few times a week. I also mix in some Reef Chili and OceanMagik once a week or so. DT has four clowns, three cardinals, one small hippo tang, one royal gramma, and a coral banded shrimp. Corals/inverts are mostly zoas, some ricordea, rhodactis, GSP, rock flowers, CUC. Everyone seems fat and happy, but I've definitely seen the nitrates and phosphates go up since the macro started to die.

Someone at my LFS told me today that I should just raise my alkalinity from 8/9ish to 11/12ish and that it would likely resolve the issue. Anyone else have that experience?

Mines been that high before without hurting anything but now I try to keep it between 8 and 9. I also grow the algea in a shallow tray about 5 inches deep above the sump. I let anything that grows there grow. High flow with aeration thru the algea. Very efficient. You'll be throwing cheato out or gettiing rid of it. I do over feed. That helps. Lol

 

[ShrimpBandit]

Mines been that high before without hurting anything but now I try to keep it between 8 and 9. I also grow the algea in a shallow tray about 5 inches deep above the sump. I let anything that grows there grow. High flow with aeration thru the algea. Very efficient. You'll be throwing cheato out or gettiing rid of it. I do over feed. That helps. Lol

I like the idea of a shallow algae tray, but I'd need to think through the engineering piece with my setup.

Do you think a small power head in the fuge would help or hurt the situation? I don't think it would actually move water *through* the chamber any faster, but there would at least be more movement inside..?

 

[Duncan62]

I like the idea of a shallow algae tray, but I'd need to think through the engineering piece with my setup.

Do you think a small power head in the fuge would help or hurt the situation? I don't think it would actually move water *through* the chamber any faster, but there would at least be more movement inside..?

It would definitely help. I bought a tray scrubber in 81 and have made my own since. I've got 3 going now. The cheato grows in a mat. Aerated water is forced to flow thru a sponge of mostly cheato but slime and everything else. It's the main filtration on all my stuff. Add a skimmer and your done. No water changes in 4 years .

 

[vetteguy53081]

Likely high phosphates.
Salinity also slightly high for macro which do best in 1.024-1.025.
While macro needs nutrients, not some much iron but nitrates and phosphates, elevated levels can cause damage to them. Macroalgae can also die from other causes such as incorrect lighting, lack of nutrients or improper flow.

 

[ShrimpBandit]

It would definitely help. I bought a tray scrubber in 81 and have made my own since. I've got 3 going now. The cheato grows in a mat. Aerated water is forced to flow thru a sponge of mostly cheato but slime and everything else. It's the main filtration on all my stuff. Add a skimmer and your done. No water changes in 4 years .

No water changes sounds delightful. #goals

Got a pic of your setup? I'd bet I have just about everything on hand to work it out.

Likely high phosphates.
Salinity also slightly high for macro which do best in 1.024-1.025.
While macro needs nutrients, not some much iron but nitrates and phosphates, elevated levels can cause damage to them. Macroalgae can also die from other causes such as incorrect lighting, lack of nutrients or improper flow.

Thanks. This is helpful. I put in some PhosGuard and did a 25% water change, which brought the salinity down to 1.025. Skimmer is finally making some nasty stuff. I'm leaving the fuge light on for now, moved some snails to the chamber, and I'll add the Chaeto Gro in a couple of days when it gets here.

I'm not sure what tipped it, but even with heavy feeding and no skimming, I was getting 0 nitrates after I added the ogo and that had never happened before. Then it died back and the nitrates and phosphates spiked. I guess I'll take the win that the GHA is still confined to the fuge for now (knock on wood) and see how things progress.

 

[Spare time]

I just ordered a bottle of Chaeto Gro and a magnesium test kit. Thinking I'll add a snail and leave the fuge light on for a few days to see what happens.

I feed the tank 1-2 frozen cubes a day plus nori strips a few times a week. I also mix in some Reef Chili and OceanMagik once a week or so. DT has four clowns, three cardinals, one small hippo tang, one royal gramma, and a coral banded shrimp. Corals/inverts are mostly zoas, some ricordea, rhodactis, GSP, rock flowers, CUC. Everyone seems fat and happy, but I've definitely seen the nitrates and phosphates go up since the macro started to die.

Someone at my LFS told me today that I should just raise my alkalinity from 8/9ish to 11/12ish and that it would likely resolve the issue. Anyone else have that experience?

I am a fan of chaeto gro too. I would have chaeto die on me until I started that (now I'm on all for reef + potassium and a little extra iron).

Also, the alk won't change anything. That is strange they suggested that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No water changes sounds delightful. #goals

Got a pic of your setup? I'd bet I have just about everything on hand to work it out.

Thanks. This is helpful. I put in some PhosGuard and did a 25% water change, which brought the salinity down to 1.025. Skimmer is finally making some nasty stuff. I'm leaving the fuge light on for now, moved some snails to the chamber, and I'll add the Chaeto Gro in a couple of days when it gets here.

I'm not sure what tipped it, but even with heavy feeding and no skimming, I was getting 0 nitrates after I added the ogo and that had never happened before. Then it died back and the nitrates and phosphates spiked. I guess I'll take the win that the GHA is still confined to the fuge for now (knock on wood) and see how things progress.

heavy feeding and no nitrates may indicate false readings from test kit. Are reagents expired?

 

[ShrimpBandit]

heavy feeding and no nitrates may indicate false readings from test kit. Are reagents expired?

No, but it certainly could have been operator error. Either way, zero nitrates is definitely not a problem I have now!

 

[Duncan62]

No water changes sounds delightful. #goals

Got a pic of your setup? I'd bet I have just about everything on hand to work it out.

Thanks. This is helpful. I put in some PhosGuard and did a 25% water change, which brought the salinity down to 1.025. Skimmer is finally making some nasty stuff. I'm leaving the fuge light on for now, moved some snails to the chamber, and I'll add the Chaeto Gro in a couple of days when it gets here.

I'm not sure what tipped it, but even with heavy feeding and no skimming, I was getting 0 nitrates after I added the ogo and that had never happened before. Then it died back and the nitrates and phosphates spiked. I guess I'll take the win that the GHA is still confined to the fuge for now (knock on wood) and see how

this is the oldest one now . Not a good pic. Lol. I'll update and show new filter pics.

 

[Duncan62]

Diy scrubber is the only filtration + skimmer occasionally. Just started a bigger one in Dec. I'll take pic later.

 

[ShrimpBandit]

Diy scrubber is the only filtration + skimmer occasionally. Just started a bigger one in Dec. I'll take pic later.

Huh. Seems pretty straightforward. I'm going to tinker and circle back.

 

[Tbg299]

I jave never

My current 120g has been running for about 2 months. I seeded the fuge with chaeto and red ogo I had in two previously established tanks. The fuge is a (3g?) chamber inside my Eshopps R-100. There isn't enough flow for anything to tumble, really, but water comes in from the sock filter chamber and the UV sterilizer outlet, and drains to the return pump chamber. The fuge holds 20 marine pure 2" cubes and a chunk of live rock from my LFS. I'm using a Tunze Eco Chic Fuge light for 6 hours every night. Parameters are as follows:

Salinity - 1.026
Nitrates - 20 ppm
Phosphates - .22 ppm
Ph - 8
dKH - 8.6
Calcium - 440

I'm to the point of pulling out what's left, cleaning the hair algae off, and putting back little strands of ogo and chaeto. Hair algae hasn't managed to gain a foothold anywhere else in the tank, but it's definitely winning in my fuge.

Is this a matter of introducing some of my CUC and waiting for them to clean up? Lighting? Something else?

I have never had luck keeping chaeto alive in my sump's refugium section. After trying several times I finally switched to sea lettuce and it has been growing proliferately. I also read that it provides more shelter and breeding for copepods.

 

[NeedAReef]

Mines been that high before without hurting anything but now I try to keep it between 8 and 9. I also grow the algea in a shallow tray about 5 inches deep above the sump. I let anything that grows there grow. High flow with aeration thru the algea. Very efficient. You'll be throwing cheato out or gettiing rid of it. I do over feed. That helps. Lol

any chance we can see a pic of that tray set up? sounds interesting


should have kept reading the thread, apologies

 

[Duncan62]

any chance we can see a pic of that tray set up? sounds interesting


should have kept reading the thread, apologies

That one is in a 10 gallon tank which serves as sump as well. No skimmer with this one. I have a large scrubber I just putting service on a 75. I started it with a couple big handfuls from the little scrubber, let the wster clear from adding sand and added 3 damsels, 35 lbs of uncured rock and a hand full of corals from another tank. Never had an ammonia spike the so-called brown phase came and went in about 3 days. No water change. 3 weeks in nitrate is 3 ppm. I'll have to feed a little more to avoid 0. It's a very efficient way to go. No other filtration other than skimmers on larger tanks.