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scott11
07/11/2008, 10:13 PM
I have had a small clump of cheato in my fuge for almost 2 months now, and have had almost no growth. If is a 10gal tank with 32w PC lighting. I just tested PO4 at .5 on a saifert kit

I thought this stuff grows like mad? Its not dying off, just not growing. What does that indicate?

joshkennedy07
07/11/2008, 10:33 PM
I'm not familiar with the Salifert kit. Do you mean that you have .5 ppm of PO4, or 5 ppm?

Lighting seems sufficient. How much flow do you have going through the Chaeto section of the sump?

scott11
07/11/2008, 10:59 PM
i understand it to be .5ppm Probably could be between .5 and 1 ppm

There is not much flow, a small branch off my overflow, and a small powerhead. Maybe a few hundred GPH- 300

joshkennedy07
07/11/2008, 11:29 PM
With the near absence of phosphates and nitrates it may not have much food.

When I bought my chaeto it really took off, but now it hardly grows at all.

My nitrates and phosphates are below my test kit's readable range.

Randy Holmes-Farley
07/12/2008, 06:31 AM
Ever add iron? Macroalgae can become iron deficient since they incorporate it as they grow.

scott11
07/12/2008, 11:49 AM
i have never added iron. I use IO salt, and change between 10-20% monthly.

Reefer07
07/12/2008, 03:41 PM
My chaeto grows fairly well but what I don't understand is even after I do a 20% water change I have 20 ppm of nitrates still. This is in my 29, in my 10 I always had 0 nitrates. Anyone have any ideas of what I can do to reduce the nitrates.
They are never any higher or lower no matter how long I wait to do a water change. They are always just at 20.