Macro Algae

[cthegame]

I have hadthe same size "ball" of Macro Algae for the while now. It has not grown much from when i first got it. The first month i saw some growth but after that, its just remained the same size. It looks healthy and all, just isnt growing. What i have now is not enough to be much use as filtration. Its too small to filter an 80 gallon tank w/sump and i would really like to have more of this stuff which was kind of hard for me to find.

I have it under 30 watts of light. Is there a reason for why it stopped growing? Is there anything i can do to make it grow faster? They thrive on excess nutrition more so than light - is that correct? Or should i increase my light?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Oscarsdad608]

After I switch to a halagen flood light bulb it has grown like crazy. I read this on melevs reef. Just look for 2500k

 

[yote]

Could be not enough light.
Could also be that you dont have enough nutrients in the water.Which would be a very good thing.

 

[down and outman]

Light makes all the diff! I had the same prob. Mine almost withered away to nothing in my sump under a CF. Tied it to a return in my display under my T-5's and it took off. I just harvested a bunch and sold it, $15 a quart free shipping Priority mail and all were happy to get it. As fast as it's growing, in a month or so I'll do it again. I'll eventually build a refugium, but for now it works!

 

[reeffreak]

I'm assuming ''ball of macroalgae'' is chaeto.They don't need much light and it grows under any kelvin rating although 3000k -6700k I hear people recommend the most.Maybe you don't have the nutrients for growth or lacking in some trace elements.I hear Iron supplement maybe beneficial for macroalgae.

 

[cthegame]

Yes it's chaeto. Well i dont know about my nutients...I do have alot of other algae growing like crazy including coraline. Just not the darn chaeto. I guess it could be the light. Ill get a new bulb since its a little old and try to put another strip of light and increase it to 60 watts. More spending for every little issue...:frustrat: Damn you chaeto, damn you!

 

[down and outman]

My Nitrates are zero, plus I run a phosban reactor. I do believe it's lights and flow. Like any plant, it need light to grow.

 

[fishbait]

it's probaly the lights. I had around 20 watts of n.o. flourescent light on mine for the first month or two. there was no growth whatsoever. I switched to a one of those 90 watt flood light bulbs from lowe's with the compact flourescent bulb in it. then it overgrew my sump in two or three weeks!