cant keep chaeto alive any more?

[jdl]

i had kept chaeto in my ac70 fuge for well over a year. i think my massive xenia jungle, starved out the original ball of algae. most of the xenia has been removed, and i recently put another ball in the fuge. it has been 4 or 5 days and almost all of it is dead or dying. what does it need to live? im pretty sure my nitrates are higher than normal. i have changed the 9w jbj bulb every 6 months. any tips? not sure on other params, but my tank has never looked better. im pretty sure there is nothing in the fuge eating it.

[bitts]

to keep it alive mostly it needs ammonium & trates. Of course light, P, & C get thrown in there to. But those are going to be the big ones. if its not doing well, those would be the first things to look for.

 

I doubt it would be from some form of chemical warfare but maybe check with john or over at wwm.

 

more than likly its being out competed by something.

[jdl]

thanks, i figured something was beating it out (xenia most likely). the ball of chaeto was slowing down my rate of flow as well. im pretty much over it by now, if xenia or something else is exporting nutrients, no need for macro...right?

[bitts]

They tend to take out different things, at different rates. so the goal is to use them together & find a balance. Maybe cut the cheto in hafl.