figure this one out

Could be that the water reaching the refugium is lacking the phosphates needed for the algae.

 

It's an interesting hypothesis. Did algae grow on one the input side of your reactor, but not the output end?

I've always been interested in how efficient various filtration is, in a single pass application. GFO we know is quite efficient, but to lower phosphate, from a large volume of water, it's my understanding that it takes time and a number of passes. For the amount of phosphate to differ significantly on one side of the reactor, versus the other, if you think about it, you'd need a big nutrient sink on one side, so that there is a constant source to keep levels high. And then you'd need really, really efficient filtration to instantly remove the nutrients before it gets to the other side of the reactor. Usually, water in a system is thought to be pretty homogeneous and mixed up well, regardless of filtration. While it's certainly not uncommon to have issues growing chaeto when running pellets or GFO. It would be something if it was possible to create that significant of a nutrient gradient between connected parts of a system. I think generally the logic is that you can't really do this though, so, it would be neat to see.

 

Couldn't have put it better. I'm going to stick with lighting and lack of fine substrate for any rooting plants. If it's growing in the top, then obviously chemistry is not the factor. Eliminating this only allows 2 more negative factors, light, or one hungry little urchin........

 

Pink,

My 'chaeot basket' in my DIY sump is lit by 2 x 100W CFL house type bulbs in those large aluminum funnels like reflector from Menards(like HD). They are both 6500K.

Even with my DIY phosguard reactor- which got rid of the cyano in my DT,
my chaeto grows great in my sump. MY sump light runs nearly opposite my DT LED's, I run the sump lights 12/12 I think.

Inexspensive as H#ll, and works great!

You can see it near the end of my 5min. Dt vid in my sig.

I'm just trying to give you some suggestions as others have done for growing macro in the sump/fuge.

 

thanks, I do need to look into a bulb with more watts. 25w isn't working. i am really thinking its the light. i originally had one of those 25w jbl grow lights,JBL JBJ Watt Macro-glo Adjustable Refugium Light: Compare Prices, View Price History and Read Reviews at Nextag its what made me think 25watts was enough to grow algae .
my area i have to grow cheato isn't as large as the area you have, i wonder if i can get away with one? i have an extra one of those reflectors in the garage. that i can use for the one.

 

todd are they 100w or equivalent to 100w? those cfl bulbs are confusing with the 2 watts listed. i seen a 42 watt that is listed to be equivalent to 220 watts.

55gfowlr you say yours is equivalent to 75 watts. my 25 watt should be that also than ???


there used to be a hydroponics store near by me. i wonder if they are still there? they would have good bulbs i would think

 

This is the exact bulb I'm using.....I switched to a higher lumen LED bulb that cost 50 bucks for one, and my macro all started withering away. I put the florescent back in and in a month it's back to full growth.

Florescent Bulb

Yeah I'd say your 25w (I'm assuming it's florescent) should be like something of a 100w equivalent.

 

i just ordered a 42watt florescent the twisted type, which is listed to grow vegetation and flowers, with a mix of red and blue in it. it is equivalent to 150 watts. now after reading what you said you have me wondering if i have to much light. or if the lamp is to close to the water surface for the macro. since yours started to wither away with stronger light. its whats been happening to mine. it just seems to melt away in the fug. but what doesn't make sense is it grows in my main tank under a led thats equivalent to 250 watt halide I'm told

 

T

Yes, it's a 100W equivalent, standard round light bulb socket CFL bulb. I had one, and it did well, now I have 2 reflectors, and 2 x 100W CFL,s

Won't break the bank lol, and will really grow the cheato!

Pretty sure they are 6500K, and are in any big box store

 

thanks, if the bulb i ordered doesn't work this bulb will be my next try. if i had read this first i would have tried this first.