chaeto wont grow

[delo978]

Well I'm running into this situation and have never had this problem before so looking for input. My fuge is approx 5Gallon within a 10G tank and it contain 3" LS, 5lbs or so LR and 3-4 hermits/amphipods/critters. It's got about 5 times flow with a 65K coralife bulb. Now my chaeto just isn't doing anything, hasn't shrunk, discolored, fell apart, GROW, it just sits there. I know it probably requires more flow so it can tumble however I'm not comfortable putting that much flow in my Fuge as it's pretty small. Another problem I thought it could be was I haven't had nitrate in my tank since it cycled so maybe it's not getting the nutrients required. So what are my options?? My DT is a 40G with 15 Zoos frags, frogspawn, hammer, torch, candy canes, blastos, 2 clowns, 1 tang, 1 bi-color blenny, 1 watchmen goby, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 tube anemone, 1 PLTA, and snails. My parameters have been perfect and steady for a long time. So no ones asks to be more precise here they are.
Salinity - 1.025
Alk - 9dKH
PH - 8.3
Phos - 0
Calcium - 420
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
I keep a log of my tests and tests every second day and there mostly the same every time except my Cal so I dose that once a week. As far as Chemical filtration I use carbon (which I change 1/month) and purigen. Thanks for any input cause I'm at a lose here. Oh and I use a Remora skimmer and it takes lots of crap out of my tank so it works fine.

Cheers

[whatcaneyedo]

Mine doesn't grow very well either. Neither does gracillaria, caulerpa, bryopsis or any of the other algae in my system. Our tanks are too stripped of phosphate and nitrate. How much and how often do you feed your fish? Having undetectable levels of phosphate and nitrate is fine but not if its at the expense of your fish's health. So you could possibly feed more if that's an issue. Otherwise just sit back and enjoy not having the problems that so many people with over stocked, under skimmed, dirty tanks have.

[gobytron]

whats the fuge light wattage?

With fish, you will have nitrates, so nutrients shouldnt be your problem....

Has your chaeto been in your system long enough to acclimate?

[delo978]

my fuge light is a 15W 60Hz 120volt, life-GLO 65K (simulates high noon sunlight), as for the chaeto I've had it quite a while so it should have been acclimatized by now I should think. With regards to feeding I feed the fish daily alternating between pellets, mysis, homemade clam/mussel/oyster selcon food and brine shrimp and I target feed my corals/anemones every other day with meaty foods of above as well as phytoplankton and coral frenzy food for zoo's.

[gobytron]

is that light an led?

I think your problem might be, as you have already diagnosed, flow.

My chaeto did not grow well until I doubled the flow going through my fuge...

[Lance]

Hey guys, if your nutrient level is so low that you can't grow chaeto why bother. You're growing the macro-algae to reduce nutrients, of which you don't have much. Sounds like a problem I wish I had. :mrgreen: