i am trying to grow some chaeto

[Jarrett]

i have a dual HO t5 solarmax light laying right on top of my 20 gallon sump. i am trying to grow some chaeto and was wondering if i can just leave my lights running on it 24/7 or will it do better another way, it doesnt seem to be doing very good cause it falls apart very easily. but i dont know if that could just be that its only been in the sump 2 days now

 

[Bige]

I run my fuge light 24/7, no problems. My first batch of chaeto was not growing so I actually took mine out and bought some from a store I saw just get it in. It grew from a golf ball to a basket ball in a month. I also feed my tank rather heavy and everyone is growing and happiest its ever been.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I grow algae in a algae scrubber. I found that 24 hour illumination was a waste of electricity. The algae grew just as fast with only 12 hours of light. I just run the scrubber lights when the main tank lights are off, helps with PH swing.

 

[Jarrett]

yea but if you do that doesnt the main tank still grow algea because when it is on its absorbing nutrients and the refugium isnt competing because it is off and then visa versa?

 

[Gregcoyote]

yea but if you do that doesnt the main tank still grow algea because when it is on its absorbing nutrients and the refugium isnt competing because it is off and then visa versa?

I think the real trick is that the algae scrubber gets over three times the PAR the reef does. Plant life has a respiration cycle that gets weird when illumination is 24 hours.

 

[Bige]

I have heard great things about the algae scrubbers. I leave my fuge on 24 hours because I read that it keeps the chaeto from letting its spores out. Or flowering. I can't remember exactly but I will find the articles.

 

[Jarrett]

i am actually kind of lost by what you mean with an algea scrubber isnt that just the magnet i use to clean my glass i am talking about in a refugium, and i coyote i know your pretty knowledgble i tend to be impatient with this stuff and i know it takes time but i just transfered my 45 and the sand from it into my 75 gallon tank do you think i am starting to have a bloom because of this? i was thinking about doing 5 gallon water changes once a day 5 days a week for a few weeks you thinik that will help

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's cool. You will learn a lot on this forum. Algae scrubbing has been used many commercial aquariums for years to strip water of nutrients they can't strip with a protien skimmer or the like. Used in reef tanks mostly, it uses beneficial algae grown on racks under very bright light to concentrate the systems algae growth in that area.

I can only say testing and appropriate water changes will lead to a cycled tank.

 

[Jarrett]

isnt that basically what i am doing with my refugium just without the racks? and will my algea die from 24/7 lighting. and the tank has already cycled its been a functioning tank for about 8 months i just transfered my 45 to a 75 and am experiencing the start of a bloom

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yes, basically. Scrubbers are a bit more oriented towards algae growth and less a refugium.

 

[Jarrett]

ok now heres another question for you coyote and this is becoming a big problem and let me tell ya i have asked the world about it and no one knows even all my LFS have no idea. my sump keeps producing microbubbles and they are constantly coming out of my tank and theirs no leak, the pump deff has no bubbles trapped, my only thinking is my sump might be to shallow and the force from the water coming in is creating the bubbles i dont know if thats a possiblity? its a 20 gallon long (only thing that fits under the stand) and i also checked the skimmer and its not that eithier

 

[TomStav]

ok now heres another question for you coyote and this is becoming a big problem and let me tell ya i have asked the world about it and no one knows even all my LFS have no idea. my sump keeps producing microbubbles and they are constantly coming out of my tank and theirs no leak, the pump deff has no bubbles trapped, my only thinking is my sump might be to shallow and the force from the water coming in is creating the bubbles i dont know if thats a possiblity? its a 20 gallon long (only thing that fits under the stand) and i also checked the skimmer and its not that eithier

Do you have enough baffles with bubble traps? You can also use filter socks to reduce bubbles from your drain and skimmer return.

 

[Jarrett]

yea i have all of that, a little bit off topic but maybe you can help i put my canister filter on my tank and i am getting a lot of algae now all of a sudden is it possibly that the nutrients built up in my canister and now its just constantly leaching it back into my water fueling this stuff? (cannister was running on my 45 gallon tank for 8 months) do you think i should take it off the system since i have the sump and the live rock in the tank i really don't need it i would think?

 

[Gregcoyote]

yea i have all of that, a little bit off topic but maybe you can help i put my canister filter on my tank and i am getting a lot of algae now all of a sudden is it possibly that the nutrients built up in my canister and now its just constantly leaching it back into my water fueling this stuff? (cannister was running on my 45 gallon tank for 8 months) do you think i should take it off the system since i have the sump and the live rock in the tank i really don't need it i would think?

The canister could be the problem. Good live rock and a protein skimmer is usually enough filtration for most systems.

As to bubbles, there can be an almost invisible tornado of air that might be getting in the intake, or the intake is causing too much back pressure and the impeller in your pump is "caveating." That will generate tiny bubbles even if there is no air leaks.

 

[Jarrett]

ok let me ask you i am sorry if i am bugging you but no one seems to be able to figure this out, i just switched my sump around so the intake is on the far side of my sump and the bubble trap is now where the return pump sits before it was visa versa could this of been my problem i am waiting to see any results but i am just curious if you think that could of been a problem

 

[Jarrett]

also i thought another chance my problem could be was that the return pump was to strong i have a mag 9.5 on their right now do you think that could be causing bubbles because it is to strong

 

[David S]

micro bubbles in your dt from your return pump is always caused by air being pulled into the return pump in your sump,what is the depth of water in the return pump section,how is the water flowing into the return pump section?,a few photo's of your sump setup would help.
As for the chaeto and algae,whats your water test results
Chaeto wont grow within 2 days,where is the chaeto(good flow) is it floating or has it sunk?
Chaeto tends to grow when its in good flow and is tumbling(but needs nutrients hence test results),if not then just good flow and under light,light schedule opposite dt lighting is fine.

 

[Jarrett]

the water in the return pump section is atleast 6 inches above the pump maybe more and their are no leaks anywhere so i dont know where it would be sucking air, you dont think it has anything to do with the power of the pump?

 

[David S]

nope,the power of the pump wont cause air bubbles from nowhere,is the water level the same as the last baffle or below it,also is the water outlet in the dt near the surface

 

[Jarrett]

its above the first baffle but right at the tip of the last baffle.