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View Full Version : Low nitrate/phosphate levels cause receding chaeto?


Tigé21v
10/13/2009, 05:13 AM
Though my nitrates have been at 1.0 or lower and phosphate tests turn up clear, I've always had good growth of the chaeto, pretty much doubling every week. I assume there is still some level of phosphate in the system, because of the chaeto growth, and also cyano problem and lack of coralline algae growth.
I added another 150g of GFO last week, and now the chaeto is not really growing, even dying off . Should I go ahead and pull all of it out? If its receding, it's just releasing the nutrients back into the tank.

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/13/2009, 06:17 AM
If it is dying, then yes, either remove it or use less GFO. You can kill macroalgae with enough GFO. :)

Tigé21v
10/13/2009, 06:28 AM
I'm running more GFO to try to get rid of this crazy cyano. My thinking on it is if there enough nutrients to support chaeto, then there is definitely enough to support the cyano. I've had my nitrates all the way down to undetectable levels (Salifert), and still the chaeto (and cyano) growth did not let up. Also I'm not getting much growth out of my SPS's.

bertoni
10/13/2009, 12:17 PM
There are a number of factors in coral growth, but they can become nutrient limited, too. Maybe the GFO is the problem for them, but other issues might include lighting or perhaps a predator. It might be possible to feed the corals more directly with something like Golden Pearls, depending on their species, without adding much dissolved nutrients.

balloonpilot
10/13/2009, 01:50 PM
Can I join this thread :)

I've got a JBJ Nano 28 w/ HOB Refug containing Chaeto. I was told by the LFS that I will have to trim the Chaeto frequently... However it seems to be getting smaller.

I also do not have any coraline growing (but the tank is only 2-3 months).

I was using a Phosban reactor (two little fishies) with carbon and their Phosban stuff. Since then I've taken that out and put the ChemiPure Elite into the Phosban reactor (kept it in the bag).

Nitrates are around 5 using Salifert

bertoni
10/13/2009, 04:48 PM
Your tank, too, might be low enough on phosphate that the Chaetomorpha can't grow. You could try reducing the amount of media, if you want to save the alga. The tank is very new, so the nitrate might go away on its own, or might be a result of the PhosBan. I wouldn't worry much yet. :)

balloonpilot
10/14/2009, 05:31 AM
So the PhosBan can cause Nitrates to increase?

Should I take out the ChemiPure Elite?

tmz
10/14/2009, 10:58 AM
I think if there really is 0 inorganic phosphate( unlikely in a fed tank) as a result of extraction by the phospban,any bacteria consuming nitrates will be limited since they need both phosphorous and nitrogen. Heterotrophic bacteria which denitrify need organic carbon too .

tmz
10/14/2009, 11:03 AM
FWIW, Chaeto in my refugia do ok(slow growth) with system PO4 levels at around .04 to .05 ppm.There is very limited nuisance algae and cyano
(just a bit , here and there from time to time).

balloonpilot
10/14/2009, 11:05 AM
So I gues what I'm trying to figure out is that since my tank is so new (2-3 months), am I doing more harm than good by using ChemiPure Elite (or Phosban) ?

Am I making my water "too clean" ?

Some areas of my Cheato has started to turn white

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/14/2009, 11:28 AM
I think it is at least possible that phosphate is undesirably low.

How do the other organisms seem to be?

bertoni
10/14/2009, 11:57 AM
PhosBan won't raise nitrate directly, but it'll remove phosphate that would allow the Chaetomorpha to grow and consume nitrate. It's also possible that the nitrate will drop on its own given some time. Tanks often require some period of time to get going.

balloonpilot
10/14/2009, 12:13 PM
This is the same tank that I've had no luck at all keeping SPSs for more than 2 weeks. All params are solid and softies are going well but SPS will lose tissue from bottom up in 2weeks. Birdsnest and Montirpora turn white in same time period. So Im wondering if this is related to what's going on in the refug...

Go easy on me, I've only been doing this for 4 months :)

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/14/2009, 12:22 PM
Anything thriving in it?

balloonpilot
10/14/2009, 12:57 PM
In the main tank
2 clown fish
1 yellow watchman gobie
1 fire fish
1 Royal Gamma
1 Clam
1 Cleaner shrimp, pepermit, and harlaquin shrimp

1 Anenomea (which split)

1 Fusia
1 hammer
1 Recordia (which has spilit once and getting ready to split again)
1 trumpet/candy coral
1 green/blue mushroom

In the refugium
lots of small snails
several little bugs which look to be 1/2" long