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chaetomorph problems

2K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  partobe 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone:worm:
I have a 150 gallon with a 20 gallon sump/refg. I have 24 watt florescent lights on the sump with chaetomorph ls and lr. Ive been having problems with my nitrates and have taken steps to reduce them. However I have noticed that my chaetomorpha looks more like chopped spinach then refg plants. Should I just remove it? It really looks awful.

Thanks;
Patrick
:bigeek:
 
#6 ·
Have you determined why you have such high nitrates? I think mine was due to really bad rock. I had a lot of die off. I kept doing a ton of water changes with blowing of the rock and finally I reached the zero mark. Hang in there, I thought it would never happen for myself.....
 
#8 ·
I just dumped the chaeto it was all rotten. I think my nitrates are in my water. I got rid of all my bio balls cut feeds from 2x a day to 3x a week and just bought a ro unit. Ive only used the ro once but the next day the nitrates had dropped. I was running the refg light 24 x7
 
#11 ·
nitrates are not the limiting factor for algae growth. phosphates are. if you are low on phosphates than all the nitrates in the world will not get the algae to grow.

this is a good sign. keep doing what you are doing and the nitrates will fall. FYI- over 10 years ago, if you could get your nitrates below 20 you were doing extremely well. 40 is not great, but it is not the end of the world either. i think you are in better shape than you think you are. relax, take it easy and the nitrates will come down with good husbandry and all of those nitrate factories removed.

the hardest part of this hobby, is relaxing. unfortunately it takes about 5yrs in this hobby before this sinks in. it is not your fault it is the fact that there is so much info being thrown at you that it is easy to get caught up in it and go overboard.

BTW- i do not have a clue what my nitrates are. have never checked them. in time you will get the reef eye. you can tell when something is amiss. most likely it will not be the nitrates. that annoying cyano will be the first clue.

G~
 
#13 ·
partobe said:
thats what I will start doing now. Andy did you see my other thread I wrote you a post about the 300 gallon tank. Take a look!
about buying it for you? haha yea i saw it, i wouldnt give me your address if i were you, i sure could use a 150!! ;)
 
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