Chaeto Problem, please help!!

[hotrod797]

Hey, I picked up some chaeto from two different sources and placed it in my sump/refugium, and now probably a month later it has all fallen apart. It is all still healthy green in color, but if I try to grab it to flip it or whatever it just falls apart.
Anyone ever had this before?? Any idea's?? I tried searching, but couldn't find any info at all.
My Caulerpa as well as other types that I picked up are doing fine, its just the cheato. Lighting is a florescent plant grow light I picked up from walmart, not sure of the K value, and it is on a reverse light cycle.

Thanks in advance!!

[jer77]

It falls apart when it stops growing and is dying. This happens to me sometimes too with chaeto when it stops growing for a while. A healthy green color is a light almost transparent green. When it stops growing it turns dark green and brittle. You probably have too much macro and need to trim some out. And the caulerpa is most likely preventing the it from growing because its not leaving any nutrients for the chaeto. I know many people like to grow chaeto and I like to too, but in my opinion caulerpa just grows so much easier and faster. So many times have I tried to grow chaeto in my sump and it just shrivels up and falls apart like yours.

[demonboy369]

I have chaeto. as I feel safe with it. just keep it thinned.

I hear to many horror stories of caulerpa going sexual if not under 24/7 lighting. I personally choose not to risk it.

[hotrod797]

That's the thing, my sump was not even 1/4 full as I only got two 1 qt bags from 2 different people, so its just weird that neither took off...

[VacavilleFC3S]

might be your lighting try a different bulb, this was the issue i had originally, now i use a sylvania par-30 75w halogen bulb and it grows so fast i have to through out a softball size wad every 2 weeks