My Chaeto will not grow!

I have had the same size piece for like 6 weeks.

I have this light over it Coralife Mini Aqualight | Power Compact | PetSolutions

It comes with one 6 watt 10,000K and one 6 watt Actinic Bulb.

I am just about slap the chaeto.

From reading around I am thinking I should put different bulbs in there.

It is made for refugiums and fits my Proflex like a glove and the little tips on the bottom fit the groove exactly as it states it is for them in the description.

Anyway the bulbs are just like a tanks bulbs so if that is best for my refugium would there be a way to maybe get a better bulb for the chaeto and leave one in there for the refugium.

My refugium is chaeto and rock only.

Also there is a small water pump that blows water across the chaeto so it is getting great water flow. It plugs into the side of my hanging refugium that is hanging in the main refugium. See pix here. Pix of my Anemone and other things

Why dont you just try one of those cheap CFL squiggly bulbs for a few weeks and see if it works any better.

That could be a good sign....Maybe theres not enough nutrients in your water. Do you have any other types of alga growing?

Yeah I had some what looked like hair algae it was green and small and I removed it and it really hasn't grown back but I know my Nitrates are high. Like 40 give or take 5.

Oh and I get diatom brown spots a little but mostly near the bottom.

I used a CFL "squiggly bulbs".. Make sure its 6k

That sucks because I got this light because it was for my refugium and now the bulbs don't work for the chaeto.

I have had luck with ones I got from Walmart....they're the squiggly bulbs, it's 6500K (I looked for this SPECIFICALLY -- I think something about this color spectrum that really stimulates growth), and 90w equivalent (or maybe it's 100 w equivalent...)...I think it uses 25w.



Walmart.com: GE Energy Smart CFL Daylight Light Bulb: 26 Watt (100W Equivalent): Decor

I previously had luck with a Brinks CFL floodlight -- it was 90w equivalent, 6500k...my chaeto grew like a weed. This was in my 45g. But one day, growth stopped. But I'm positive it's due to lack of nutrients. I had a very low bioload (I had maybe 4 small fish). I had problems getting my chaeto to grow in my 125g, and I just had to reconfigure things...added more flow to the fuge area, changed bules to the one I posted above, and I seem to be getting more growth.

Yes but can I get this in a bulb to fit the Coralife Light I bought.

I was just reading and the bulbs are only 6watts each

What the heck will 12W do no matter the spectrum.

Also won't the Chaeto be unable to suck up the Nitrates if it doesn't get enough lighting to use it.

If you look up the Proflex Sump it has a cover with a square of plexiglass for a splash guard. It woud be a big deal if the light has to go through that will it but what if the Chaeto isn't directly under the bulb.

I don't think that will make a big deal though.

Do they provide a 6500k bulb? Maybe 10000k is just too blue? I know if the bulb is too yellow, you won't get as much growth as something that's maybe 5100 (read this write up by melevsreef on 2700k vs 5100k)

Melevsreef.com - Refugium Bulb

It won't fit yours, but if you get tired of yours, just try getting a $5 socket from home depot, and the cheap bulbs, and see if you have better luck. It ain't pretty, but if you can't get your light go make the chaeto grow, might be worth a try.