alittlemark Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I have a clump of chaeto that I am trying to grow in my sump and it doesn't look like it is doing very well. Many of the strands have gone clear or white. I assume that this caused by the zooanthellae abandoning the algae, but I don't know why they would be doing this, or how to make it better. I am running a small compact fluorescent fuge lamp about 10 inches directly above the algae. Is it possible that there is too much light? I also top off the tank manually by pouring cup fulls of room temp water into the sump, directly onto the algae. Could that temp change be a problem? I was also adding my two part calcium/alkalinity solution to the sump, right where the algae was. I thought that that might be a problem, so I have been doing that elsewhere. Might that have been an issue? Ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandoftiki Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 My chaeto turns white adjacent to the LEDs that I'm using to grow it. I'm using a JBJ NanoGlo; it has four very bright LEDs and I have four small bleached out marks on my ball of chaeto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omarortiz Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 10" is not that close at all. How much flow is going over it? More flow = more nutrients. How often do you rotate the ball? They like to be spun a bit from time to time so that all areas get some consistent light. What is the light cycle? It needs at least 12 hours to do well. I have heard that chaeto can go sexual (though far less often than caulerpa). I have also heard that it does not do that at all. With that said, a 24/7 light cycle typically prevents that. I suggest you trim off the white parts. They are probably dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlemark Posted May 30, 2012 Author Share Posted May 30, 2012 Well I don't know what the flow it. I have two 1" returns in my 90 gallon tank and they are handling all that they can. This water passes over the chaeto on its way across the sump. I have never rotated the ball though. Maybe I should try that. I have been providing nearly 12 hours of light per day since I got the chaeto, but I may just leave the light on for a while and see how that goes. So once the chaeto goes white, it doesn't heal from that? It is better to trim that stuff and start over? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 how many watts is the light and what spectrum? is it 'soft white', 'bright white', 'daylight'...the higher-K the better (up to about 8K, then it starts getting worse). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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