Micro algae outcompeting chaeto. Help!

[Alsantiago]

Hello,

 

I have a 20 gallon tall reef, with a 1 gallon HOB refugium. I have live rock rubble and chaeto in my refugium. Water parameters are good. No excess phosphates and nitrates. I run the refugium light from 8am - 10:30 pm (tank is in my room)

 

My issue is that I have green hair/slime algae growing all over in my refugium. The hair algae is also growing on my chaeto and suffocating it. I haven't seen much growth in the last 3 weeks. It was growing great when the refugium was new and clean.

 

My question is: Isnt the chaeto supposed to grow and outcompete micro algae? Why is the micro algae growing at faster rate than the chaeto? what can I do to make the chaeto outcompete the micro algae? Should I give the refugium a good cleaning?

 

Thanks!

[Boggers]

good cleaning, fresh Cheato and more flow would all be good ideas.

 

Cheato helps, but without good flow it can get stuck and hair algae can start to over take it like anything else.

[Alsantiago]

Ok, Im going to attempt everything you mentioned. I think my pump is on half the possible flow so I will bump that up to full.

 

Is it good for chaeto to tumble?

[Boggers]

Yup tumble away for even growth but not a requirement.

[ajmckay]

So micro algaes are some of the most hardy things on the planet... They're extremely well adapted to living in nutrient rich and poor environments. So honestly it's unlikely that the chaeto will outcompete on it's own IME.

 

When I had a similar issue with cyano I ended up treating the tank with red slime remover and the temporary die off of cyano enabled my chaeto & caulerpa to really take over. So in summary I would say the goal is to get the macro established enough to limit the growth of nuisance algae. The items mentioned should work well for you. Also make sure you're providing the proper nutrients to it. Think of it from a gardener's perspective - you're actually trying to get it to grow, right?

[brandon429]

agreed

 

 

id expand that to include that chaeto cant outcompete anything, its too slow growing. I have no doubt that a large mass of it uptakes nutrients, but ive never cured any problem algae tank by installing chaeto in any config. Its not harmful to have, it commands some nitrate and po4 uptake, but we cure algae independently of any refugium or ats so it being outpaced by epiphytic growths is common not the rarity.