Problems Growing Chaeto

president89 · 02/15/2017, 10:08 AM

I have tried both of these lights with no success. The chaeto falls apart and died. I have a really heavy bioload - it's a clownfish only system with live rock and a skimmer. Algae grows on teh glass next to the chaeto, but the chaeto itself doesn't grow. I've tried chaeto from multiple sources, so I think I can rule out dead chaeto to start with. The nitrates are usually very high when I test 50-100 depending on how recently I've done a water change. Any ideas? I put the chaeto in a 15G tank with these lights right above it. The maximum distance is about 12" with minimum being 3". It depends on whether the chaeto is floating or on the bottom of the tank.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Jessie2406 · 02/15/2017, 11:11 AM

Chaeto needs flow, how do you have it set up?

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mcgyvr · 02/15/2017, 11:31 AM

IMO...Forget Chaeto..
Its not the magic people sometimes make it out to be..

Water changes and or carbon dosing are though..
Then fix the cause (overfeeding/under maintenance,etc..)

jda · 02/15/2017, 04:18 PM

The N might be a bit high for it right now. I would get the N down to 20-30 before you try again. Chaeto needs a bit of water movement and iron - it can waste away if you don't change water or dose iron.

Kevin Guthrie · 02/15/2017, 05:52 PM

Hmm, algae grows on the side but not in the center? Those are directional bulbs and they are equivalent to about 120 watts of incandescent. Could be like a 250w spot - too much light. Can you move the fixture back another foot?

marper331 · 02/15/2017, 06:22 PM

My chaeto growth dramatically increased shortly after I started dosing lugol's solution.

president89 · 02/18/2017, 04:07 PM

This is in a clownfish broodstock system, so heavy feeding. I want to use the chaeto to decrease nitrates so I can space my water changes out a little more - not eliminate them.

I just tossed a new batch of chaeto in my sump in a basket - and the light is probably 12-16" away now. The flow of the sump should greatly increase the flow.

I currently have this light on it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the basket.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

02/15/2017, 10:08 AM	#1
president89 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 466	Problems Growing Chaeto I have tried both of these lights with no success. The chaeto falls apart and died. I have a really heavy bioload - it's a clownfish only system with live rock and a skimmer. Algae grows on teh glass next to the chaeto, but the chaeto itself doesn't grow. I've tried chaeto from multiple sources, so I think I can rule out dead chaeto to start with. The nitrates are usually very high when I test 50-100 depending on how recently I've done a water change. Any ideas? I put the chaeto in a 15G tank with these lights right above it. The maximum distance is about 12" with minimum being 3". It depends on whether the chaeto is floating or on the bottom of the tank. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

02/15/2017, 11:31 AM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	IMO...Forget Chaeto.. Its not the magic people sometimes make it out to be.. Water changes and or carbon dosing are though.. Then fix the cause (overfeeding/under maintenance,etc..) __________________ Who me?

02/15/2017, 11:11 AM	#2
Jessie2406 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 103	Chaeto needs flow, how do you have it set up? Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

02/15/2017, 04:18 PM	#4
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	The N might be a bit high for it right now. I would get the N down to 20-30 before you try again. Chaeto needs a bit of water movement and iron - it can waste away if you don't change water or dose iron.

02/15/2017, 05:52 PM	#5
Kevin Guthrie Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 506	Hmm, algae grows on the side but not in the center? Those are directional bulbs and they are equivalent to about 120 watts of incandescent. Could be like a 250w spot - too much light. Can you move the fixture back another foot?

02/15/2017, 06:22 PM	#6
marper331 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Boston Posts: 62	My chaeto growth dramatically increased shortly after I started dosing lugol's solution.

02/18/2017, 04:07 PM	#7
president89 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 466	This is in a clownfish broodstock system, so heavy feeding. I want to use the chaeto to decrease nitrates so I can space my water changes out a little more - not eliminate them. I just tossed a new batch of chaeto in my sump in a basket - and the light is probably 12-16" away now. The flow of the sump should greatly increase the flow. I currently have this light on it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here is the basket. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1