Please help, Macro wont grow in refugium

[syilk1]

I have had so much trouble getting my macro to grow in my refugium. I bought a sump from Melev and it works great. I used the light he suggests. I have tried 24 hour light periods along with alternating and no difference. I have dosed iron to see if that was my problem. My nitrates have creeped up to 50+ and my little ball of macro grows to size of softball and stops. WHAT can I do to get this stuff to grow like everyone talks about. Here are some pics of my setup

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m208/syilk1/IMG_1862.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m208/syilk1/IMG_1861.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m208/syilk1/IMG_1864.jpg

[Sk8r]

Cheato really loves high flow. If your return pump isn't enough to keep it agitated and rolling, sink a mag 5 in that refugium and protect its intake: just let it blast away directly at the cheato ball. It likes to roll and be blown through, the harder the better. Granted it makes life more difficult for copepods, but they tend to survive anyway as the ball gets bigger and thicker, and they will survive a trip through a mag pump or even an iwaki.

[syilk1]

eeek that may blow my sandbed all over the place. WOnt it?

[ihopss]

I had trouble when my sump was new,it would die.Now I have it growing every where in my sump,so more time might help.

[syilk1]

sump is 8 months old.

[jmait769]

syilk1 - You can tell you need flow in there due to the red slime/algae growing on the sides. I had the same problem and did like SK8r said. I used a MJ 1200 powerhead and pointed it horizontal to the sand bed.

Jay

[PatMayo]

Excess nutrients in the water is typically a more difinitive indicator of red slime not necessarily flow.

It's better to have the slime in the fuge than the main tank.

I agree that flow will help the cheato grow.

Regards,

Pat

[K' Family Reef]

i wouldnt sweat it
for some reason the chaeto didnt grow in my tank for about 3mos - then finally it started to grow... i have read on here many other people saying the same thing...

i am speculating
but perhaps it takes a while for the chaeto to acclimate to your water conditions before it starts to grow - or perhaps there is even a 'limiting' nutrient in the hoh column.

either way
you should start to see growth at some point - and btw i purchased that same bulb and it works!

good luck!

regards