Chaetomorpha chaeto algae health

[luckycat]

I have two softball sized balls of chaeto algae in my fuge, newly setup 90g tank. All water params are perfect, but the chaeto seems to be turning brown in some areas (mostly bright green)..it seems to have grown over the past two weeks since added to the fuge.

Should I remove any of the chaeto that is not bright green?

I have a very strong outdoor light 6500K (Lights of America outdoor light) on the fuge that is on from 7 PM to 10 AM or so, off other hours..perhaps I need to keep this on 24/7?

 

[malkore]

I've been running my fuge light 24/7. Chaeto grows faster, but grew fine with 12 hours of light.
is that like a metal halide light?

 

[luckycat]

I've been running my fuge light 24/7. Chaeto grows faster, but grew fine with 12 hours of light.
is that like a metal halide light?

No, not MH. It is a 6500K flourescent flood lamp. I heard other people using these with success on fuges.

http://www.lightsofamerica.com/floods.htm

Available at HD, but I picked up two on eBay for I believe $50 w/s/h. I mounted on a DIY wood frame above the fuge.

 

[malkore]

gotcha. what's the wattage on it? is it a quad 96w or a 55w or what?
I only have 2x13w PC's, and one's an actinic, and my chaeto grows like crazy.

 

[runway1]

My cheato grows an algae on its top surface that's brown looking. Could that be what you're seeing?

 

[luckycat]

My cheato grows an algae on its top surface that's brown looking. Could that be what you're seeing?

Yes, could be...one thing for sure is it is growing. The top surface sure does look brown the rest looks very dark green. Maybe I can try rubbing off the brownish part? Most of the algae is dark green.

 

[seaham358]

If its growing I would leave it. there are other types of algaes that will grow in a fuge, I have some type of red algae on the top of the fuge that I never put in. As long as my parameters are fine I'm happy..

 

[luckycat]

If its growing I would leave it. there are other types of algaes that will grow in a fuge, I have some type of red algae on the top of the fuge that I never put in. As long as my parameters are fine I'm happy..

Update: it's growing like mad, at least double the size it was originally... and the brown stuff on the algae is in fact some other form of algae.

I also have very thick almost slimy algae growing on some live rock that I have in a basket hanging at the top of the fuge into which water from the return flows. All the lr is under water, but only some lr gets a ton of current (where the pvc is entering the lr basket). Should I allow this algae to keep growing, or should I move the rocks around a bit to expose the algae to high current where it doesn't seem to thrive?

I'm thinking all of the algae is probably ok, but I just am not sure - first time with a fuge.