Best light for max cheato growth

MMM33732 · #1 12/08/2007, 09:27 PM

Whats everyone found to work best for growing cheato? A few people have told me that the 65w pc flood lights 6500k are awesome, few others have said the 19w pc 5100k one on melvs page is best, still i've heard theres no difference between those and regular old 23-26w spiral cf 6500ks. there was also many different thoughts on the best light cycle. I made a poll post about it in the equipment forum. I ended up deciding an 18hr cycle sounds like it'll be best. Agree?

NanoReefWanabe · #2 12/08/2007, 11:43 PM

i run my fuge lights from 9:30 pm to 8:00 am

i use 15watt CF spiral bulbs

they are the "DAYLIGHT" bulbs made by Phillips, with fresh bulbs i get crazy growth...after about 6 months the colour or something changed and my cheato started to die off...changed bulb and bang insane growth again....

MMM33732 · #3 12/09/2007, 12:56 AM

Interesting. I'll try changing my bulb and see if that does anything.

MMM33732 · #4 12/13/2007, 09:43 PM

well I put a brand new 26w spiral cf over a new ball of cheato about a week ago. Sadly its starting to become more and more pale. I wonder if the light isn't as intense as needed or perhaps the cool weather shipping hurt it. It was kept under the 19w 5100k bulb on melev's page...

MMM33732 · #5 12/17/2007, 12:26 AM

Any conscientious as to whether the 5100k is any better than 6500k?

reefaluva · #6 12/17/2007, 11:19 PM

I used a 6500k and got good growth, switched to a 5500k and it doubled in about a week but then I started to get some weird algae growth so I went back to 65k. Was in DT and I just liked the 65k look better also.

nybyrne · #7 12/18/2007, 05:44 AM

I also use a 65k from HD. Works well

Mina_40 · #8 12/18/2007, 09:34 AM

I use a plant grow light that can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot for like $6.00. My cheato grows like crazy.

MMM33732 · #9 12/18/2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mina_40
I use a plant grow light that can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot for like $6.00. My cheato grows like crazy.

Is that an incandescent bulb or fluorescent tube or compact fluorescent?

MSU Fan · #10 12/18/2007, 04:04 PM

I think that I have a 15w spiral compact over my fuge...had a slow start but man that chaeto is going nuts!! As for coloring, from my planted tank days, when you get more into the 5000-7000 kelvin range of color you supply more light that is usable for photosynthesis in plants. Unfortunately, generally, the smaller the color range the less appealling visually. 5100 will have a reddish yellow look. The bulbs I use are 6700k. And since they are over my fuge, I could really care less what they look like.

oct2274 · #11 12/18/2007, 06:52 PM

i've seen alot of people asking about this and i've done alot of work trying to maximize growth so I just put up a thread to help people that are having issues.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1274588

Triterium · #12 12/21/2007, 01:01 AM

Light is one of many variables in chaeto growth. Don't throw out you current bulb because there is a change.

I have grown many species of macroalgae. I observed the best growth under a 175 watt 4000K MH. I was also adding fertilizer to the reef at the same time. Point is, light may be important but there are other factors influencing growth.

Try adding some iron and see what happens.

MMM33732 · #13 12/24/2007, 01:13 AM

Can you run carbon while using iron or will it take it all out? Ive been using iron now for about 4 days and haven't noticed any growth at all, but its only been a few days. I do run carbon that gets changed every 2 weeks which is why I was wondering if the carbon would just be absorbing all the iron..

Runfrumu · #14 12/24/2007, 09:01 AM

With mine it didnt matter what bulb I used. I added my chaeto after mirco-algea's had already taken hold so it didnt get any nutrients to grow. Once I killed off the cyano, it took off quick.

MMM33732 · #15 12/25/2007, 04:34 PM

So what about carbon?

Triterium · #16 12/26/2007, 12:32 AM

MMM, besides the lack of chaeto growth, how is your tank?
Do the corals and fish look healthy?
Is the water clear?
Is the display tank free from excessive growth of unwanted algae?

How are the nitrate and phosphate levels?

If your tank is healthy, don't worry about getting rapid chaeto growth.

Otherwise, we can figure out the problem fairly easily, and fix it.

MMM33732 · #17 12/26/2007, 01:32 PM

Corals and fish all look great. Water is crystal clear. But there is some hair algae in the display that needs to go. Thats my main concern. I just cleaned out my fuge pretty much completely (except sand) and put new cheato in and all and within a week it (the glass and sand, not the cheato this time) was covered in cyano again. I have a huge turbo snail in there that actually eats cyano pretty good, so its been controlling it lately. No cyano in the display, only hair in the display. Nitrates are about 5ppm. Phosphates I have no idea since the color never matches anything on the comparison chart. I assume there are phosphates based on the algae growth though, I just cant tell how much. API test kit is horrible for phosphates. Before you ask, I only use RO/DI water. I'd like to get the cheato to control the hair algae before moving to a phosban reactor, but so far it seems the cheato just wont grow so I may need to do that. I've been dosing iron now for over a week with no noticeable results, but like I've been asking, my carbon may be absorbing the iron... I'm not sure if carbon does that. Anyone know? I change the carbon every 2 weeks.

Triterium · #18 12/26/2007, 01:42 PM

I'm not sure if carbon absorbs iron.

Trying to outcompete hair algae with macro is going to be difficult.

The only sulution I have had personally with getting rid of hair algae were turbo snails. I have heard lawnmower blennies are also good.

When i lived in Salt Lake, the local reef club had some sort of sea slug that they passed around. It apparently would free a large tank of hair algae very quickly.

I've also heard of a method that changes water chemistry (alkalinity i think). I'm sure you could find out more about this method with some searches.
HTH

Triterium · #19 12/26/2007, 04:13 PM

MMM, I think your solution is figuring out why your nitrates are at 5ppm.
What type of substrate do you have? depth?
How long has the tank been running?
How much and how often do you feed?
What size is the tank?
Have a skimmer?
How many fish?
What about water changes?

I'd do a couple big water changes over the next week or so, add new carbon, perhaps try phosban, add skimmer if you don't have one.

A bit controversial, but you could also try vacuuming the substrate. I've had good success with this.

Triterium · #20 12/26/2007, 04:17 PM

Also, read the sticky thread about hair algae in this forum (marine plants and macroalgae).

Lots of good info there.

MMM33732 · #21 12/26/2007, 10:10 PM

Live sand @ about 2.5" depth in display, 4" in fuge
Tank has been up for about a year and 1 month now.
I feed about the equivalent of 1.5 cubes of food a day. All food is completely gone within 4-5 min.
Tank is a 55g with 17g sump/fuge.
Yes there is a skimmer.
Fish is probably slightly overstocked, but feedings are on the low end for them.
Water change of 10% a week is preformed.
There is plenty of turbo snails in there as well as a lawnmower blenny. The blenny never touches the hair, only the film algae on glass surfaces.

Triterium · #22 12/26/2007, 10:22 PM

Heres an easy possible solution that might be worth a try.

Cut back to feeding every-other day. Your fish will be fine. Whether fish eat it or not, it is still adding orgainics to the tank.
Increase water changes to 5 gallons/day for at least a week.
When doing a water change, vacuum the substrate in the display tank. If it is really dirty, you may want to do sections at a time.

This is what i would do. You need to cut biological input, and increase output.

Overstocked tanks often have this problem. The solution is usually as easy as stepping up with the water changes, and making sure your filters are in working order.