Chaeto reactor not doing so well. Any suggestions? - Page 2

scuzy · 07/22/2017, 12:53 PM

Yeah i'm using the same one and it's growing chaeto

Michael Hoaster · 07/22/2017, 01:23 PM

The key to your problem may be that you don't light your tank. Right now the only place for algae to grow in is in your reactor. So it's not surprising your chaeto gets covered in muck. Try putting your display light on a timer opposite your reactor's light cycle. This should help spread the algae around. If you're worried about algae in your display, you could add a fast growing macro like ulva.

Jlentz · 07/22/2017, 06:19 PM

Any shell rot issues at 40 nitrate? I actually keep mine in a reef. It leans heavily towards the blue spectrum to try and reflect the proper depth.

I run a turbo scrubber on my system, 18 hour light cycle on the scrubber.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mr. Manty · 07/25/2017, 06:33 AM

Micheal- Running opposite is what i do by default now and I resort to just rinsing the chaeto. The Chaeto still will stop growing and slowly lose color.

Jlentz- This is a O. havanensis tank at the moment, a species not prone to shell rot. The nitrates themselves can be harmful to them, however.

Mr. Manty · 07/25/2017, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuzy

Yeah i'm using the same one and it's growing chaeto

Do you really just toss it in there and forget until you need to thin it out?

Michael Hoaster · 07/25/2017, 07:26 PM

Well, if it's not growing, it's either a lack of light or nutrients. Since it sounds like you have plenty of the major nutrients, it could be a minor one, like iron. Iron can often be a limiting nutrient in aquariums because it gets depleted quickly in a closed system. Try adding iron. It won't hurt anything in your tank. It comes in a very diluted form, since it is considered a trace element. It really colored up my macros nicely. Hope this helps.

Mr. Manty · 07/26/2017, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Well, if it's not growing, it's either a lack of light or nutrients. Since it sounds like you have plenty of the major nutrients, it could be a minor one, like iron. Iron can often be a limiting nutrient in aquariums because it gets depleted quickly in a closed system. Try adding iron. It won't hurt anything in your tank. It comes in a very diluted form, since it is considered a trace element. It really colored up my macros nicely. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help dude, but i did state earlier that I have been dosing iron. This did seem to help at one time but now the chaeto will turn white after a week. I am going to try to use higher flow and see how that works.

Michael Hoaster · 07/26/2017, 08:17 AM

D'oh! Maybe it's your LEDs then? Can you add more, or brighter ones?

Diana A · 07/26/2017, 11:55 AM

Have you watched this yet? He talks about the quality/power of light on chaeto vs the tank
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2645642

Mr. Manty · 07/27/2017, 12:59 PM

Micheal - It is not the LEDs as this is a very common setup and even a guy in this thread has these lights. They grow chaeto just fine.

Diana - And I have watched that! It helped me quite a lot and that channel is AMAZING. Very good idea linking that to me even though i have seen it.

The only thing i can think of is a lack of flow as it has a pretty wimpy pump. I just put on a slightly more powerful pump and will update.

sh4rkbyt3 · 08/22/2017, 01:16 PM

My money is on the weak pump if everything else is showing itself to be in good balance. It could very well be starving the chaeto?

Sounds as though you can eliminate the lights being an issue and besides the iron (which I'm not sure how fast it depletes itself) that only leaves competing algae or lack of nutrients which could happen with flow?

If that doesn't turn out to be the culprit then the only thing left would be to check all of your tests (post them)?

Mr. Manty · 08/24/2017, 03:36 PM

Same thing happened with the faster pump. Another 7$ ball of chaeto down. This was 2 weeks ago and I have given up for now. I have no idea how i have failed while having the EXACT same pump/reactor/lightstrip as many others who have great success.

Could my LED's be running brighter than others because of the wattage being delivered to it is different from that of other people's setups?

I set up a 20gal refugium/sump under my 40 breeder with some blue/red LED strips wrapped around it. I will prolly get a more powerful overhead light. I am done with reactors for now until I have another eureka moment.

scuzy · 08/24/2017, 05:03 PM

What's you're phosphate level in tank?

Mr. Manty · 08/29/2017, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuzy

What's you're phosphate level in tank?

I don't test for phosphate since I am not running reef tanks and I simply use nitrate as an indicator of other pollutants. The reactor has been tested across two tanks. The reason I tested two tanks is because the first tank houses a peacock mantis shrimp only and the foods he eats (live crabs, clams, frozen food soaked in selcon) might be lacking the necessary levels of phostphate that a prepared fish food might have. So, I moved the reactor to a fowler tank containing a melanurus wrasse, royal gramma, damsel, and a havanensis mantis shrimp. Same outcome.

One thing that I am thinking about in hindsight... Maybe my light strip really was running brighter than everyone elses? There is no power brick to regulate that so maybe the voltage was higher from my wall than it needed to be.

Also it is a rather small reactor and the lightstrip would sometimes sag and create a higher density wrap towards the bottom of the tube. Maybe all that light in one area contributed to the issue occasionally.

Maybe both? I do not know.

Mr. Manty · 08/29/2017, 12:14 PM

And I have no phosphate specific nutrient export method. I only skim.

scuzy · 08/29/2017, 01:09 PM

Hmm how odd. My reactor is going strong

Mr. Manty · 09/10/2017, 10:46 PM

And now it is falling apart in the sump. It is almost as if my water is poison.

I am using this light in a 20 gal sump tank under my 40 gal tank: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Even people in the reviews for the light claim to be growing chaeto like mad.

I use RODI. I have high nutrients. I use lighting already proven to grow chaeto by others. I dose iron. I have a 500gph pump on the sump so flow can't be an issue.

It really feels like I am the target of some global conspiracy that misrepresents the viability of chaeto. Am I going crazy? I have spent so much money trying to get all of this stuff working. Please. Somebody. If you have knowledge to fill in some obvious gap of ignorance that I am displaying, please enlighten me.

Michael Hoaster · 09/11/2017, 09:52 AM

It can be discouraging, but we ALL have plants that won't 'work' for us. So yours is chaeto. No biggee. Try some caulerpa or grasilaria or ulva. See what works with your situation.

Mr. Manty · 09/11/2017, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

It can be discouraging, but we ALL have plants that won't 'work' for us. So yours is chaeto. No biggee. Try some caulerpa or grasilaria or ulva. See what works with your situation.

But there has to be a reason why. I gotta know it

Michael Hoaster · 09/11/2017, 01:36 PM

If you gotta know, send a water sample to Triton for testing.

Mr. Manty · 09/12/2017, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

If you gotta know, send a water sample to Triton for testing.

Hey good idea! Thank you!

Michael Hoaster · 09/12/2017, 11:58 AM

My pleasure! Good luck!

Newms118 · 09/24/2017, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Manty

The LED strips pictured at the beginning of the thread. The lights might not be ideal but the should be able to row cheato. This exact aame reactor and light combo os aold by marine depo and many people use it with great success. I do not know what curse i have. Incredibly frustrating : (

Chaeto can be such a little betch sometimes to get it grow. I have never been successful with it and have had balls of dark green tight wound chaeto turn to light green loosely associated chaeto to chaeto that turns clear.

Subsea · 09/24/2017, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Manty

I don't test for phosphate since I am not running reef tanks and I simply use nitrate as an indicator of other pollutants. The reactor has been tested across two tanks. The reason I tested two tanks is because the first tank houses a peacock mantis shrimp only and the foods he eats (live crabs, clams, frozen food soaked in selcon) might be lacking the necessary levels of phostphate that a prepared fish food might have. So, I moved the reactor to a fowler tank containing a melanurus wrasse, royal gramma, damsel, and a havanensis mantis shrimp. Same outcome.

One thing that I am thinking about in hindsight... Maybe my light strip really was running brighter than everyone elses? There is no power brick to regulate that so maybe the voltage was higher from my wall than it needed to be.

Also it is a rather small reactor and the lightstrip would sometimes sag and create a higher density wrap towards the bottom of the tube. Maybe all that light in one area contributed to the issue occasionally.

Maybe both? I do not know.

Manta,
My test for phosphate is emerging cynobacteria. The ratio of nitrogen to phosphate in maco is 40:1 and higher in fast growing macro. With all the trouble that you are having, a detailed test of major and minor nutrients is a great idea.

Mr. Manty · 10/09/2017, 08:50 AM

Well guys I got it growing! Holy crap.
It's been going strong for about 2 weeks now.

Here is what I am pretty sure I was doing wrong:

My biggest issue was that i would put chaeto in with high nutrients already in the tank. I moved to a new place recently and through the process of moving the tank I did a large water change. When i put the Chaeto in the sump with STRONG lighting (High watt LED grow bulb 2 inches away from the glass with the chaeto being pressed against the glass) with the low nutrients, nothing grew on the chaeto. What seemed to happen is the chaeto out-competed any diatomes and other nuisance growth since it was there from the low nutrient start. With nothing growing on the chaeto killing it, it was able to uptake nutrients as they were produced.

07/22/2017, 01:23 PM	#27
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	The key to your problem may be that you don't light your tank. Right now the only place for algae to grow in is in your reactor. So it's not surprising your chaeto gets covered in muck. Try putting your display light on a timer opposite your reactor's light cycle. This should help spread the algae around. If you're worried about algae in your display, you could add a fast growing macro like ulva. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

07/25/2017, 07:26 PM	#31
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Well, if it's not growing, it's either a lack of light or nutrients. Since it sounds like you have plenty of the major nutrients, it could be a minor one, like iron. Iron can often be a limiting nutrient in aquariums because it gets depleted quickly in a closed system. Try adding iron. It won't hurt anything in your tank. It comes in a very diluted form, since it is considered a trace element. It really colored up my macros nicely. Hope this helps. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

07/26/2017, 08:17 AM	#33
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	D'oh! Maybe it's your LEDs then? Can you add more, or brighter ones? __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

07/26/2017, 11:55 AM	#34
Diana A Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: New Jersey Posts: 682	Have you watched this yet? He talks about the quality/power of light on chaeto vs the tank http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2645642 __________________ diana

09/10/2017, 10:46 PM	#42
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	And now it is falling apart in the sump. It is almost as if my water is poison. I am using this light in a 20 gal sump tank under my 40 gal tank: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Even people in the reviews for the light claim to be growing chaeto like mad. I use RODI. I have high nutrients. I use lighting already proven to grow chaeto by others. I dose iron. I have a 500gph pump on the sump so flow can't be an issue. It really feels like I am the target of some global conspiracy that misrepresents the viability of chaeto. Am I going crazy? I have spent so much money trying to get all of this stuff working. Please. Somebody. If you have knowledge to fill in some obvious gap of ignorance that I am displaying, please enlighten me. Last edited by Mr. Manty; 09/10/2017 at 10:48 PM. Reason: left something out

07/22/2017, 12:53 PM	#26
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Yeah i'm using the same one and it's growing chaeto

07/22/2017, 06:19 PM	#28
Jlentz Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 332	Any shell rot issues at 40 nitrate? I actually keep mine in a reef. It leans heavily towards the blue spectrum to try and reflect the proper depth. I run a turbo scrubber on my system, 18 hour light cycle on the scrubber. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/25/2017, 06:33 AM	#29
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	Micheal- Running opposite is what i do by default now and I resort to just rinsing the chaeto. The Chaeto still will stop growing and slowly lose color. Jlentz- This is a O. havanensis tank at the moment, a species not prone to shell rot. The nitrates themselves can be harmful to them, however.

07/27/2017, 12:59 PM	#35
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	Micheal - It is not the LEDs as this is a very common setup and even a guy in this thread has these lights. They grow chaeto just fine. Diana - And I have watched that! It helped me quite a lot and that channel is AMAZING. Very good idea linking that to me even though i have seen it. The only thing i can think of is a lack of flow as it has a pretty wimpy pump. I just put on a slightly more powerful pump and will update.

08/22/2017, 01:16 PM	#36
sh4rkbyt3 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Elkton, MD Posts: 110	My money is on the weak pump if everything else is showing itself to be in good balance. It could very well be starving the chaeto? Sounds as though you can eliminate the lights being an issue and besides the iron (which I'm not sure how fast it depletes itself) that only leaves competing algae or lack of nutrients which could happen with flow? If that doesn't turn out to be the culprit then the only thing left would be to check all of your tests (post them)?

08/24/2017, 03:36 PM	#37
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	Same thing happened with the faster pump. Another 7$ ball of chaeto down. This was 2 weeks ago and I have given up for now. I have no idea how i have failed while having the EXACT same pump/reactor/lightstrip as many others who have great success. Could my LED's be running brighter than others because of the wattage being delivered to it is different from that of other people's setups? I set up a 20gal refugium/sump under my 40 breeder with some blue/red LED strips wrapped around it. I will prolly get a more powerful overhead light. I am done with reactors for now until I have another eureka moment.

08/24/2017, 05:03 PM	#38
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	What's you're phosphate level in tank?

08/29/2017, 12:14 PM	#40
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	And I have no phosphate specific nutrient export method. I only skim.

08/29/2017, 01:09 PM	#41
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Hmm how odd. My reactor is going strong

09/11/2017, 09:52 AM	#43
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	It can be discouraging, but we ALL have plants that won't 'work' for us. So yours is chaeto. No biggee. Try some caulerpa or grasilaria or ulva. See what works with your situation. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/11/2017, 01:36 PM	#45
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	If you gotta know, send a water sample to Triton for testing. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

09/12/2017, 11:58 AM	#47
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	My pleasure! Good luck! __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/09/2017, 08:50 AM	#50
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	Well guys I got it growing! Holy crap. It's been going strong for about 2 weeks now. Here is what I am pretty sure I was doing wrong: My biggest issue was that i would put chaeto in with high nutrients already in the tank. I moved to a new place recently and through the process of moving the tank I did a large water change. When i put the Chaeto in the sump with STRONG lighting (High watt LED grow bulb 2 inches away from the glass with the chaeto being pressed against the glass) with the low nutrients, nothing grew on the chaeto. What seemed to happen is the chaeto out-competed any diatomes and other nuisance growth since it was there from the low nutrient start. With nothing growing on the chaeto killing it, it was able to uptake nutrients as they were produced.