Micro-Fuge in IM Nuvo 14 Sump

[jeremyan7]

Hello all, I have recently started up a Innovative Marine 14g Nuvo tank.  It's got a Ghost skimmer, and is populated with 4 fish, 15lbs each of LR and LS.  In general it's working well, but I'm looking to do some natural nutrient export.

So I replaced the filter sock with the multi-tray from IM and have attached the JBJ Nano Fuge GLO light (4 watts of white led) to the back of the tank so it shines IN to the area of the multi-tray.  I have sectioned off the bottom 2 sections as my fuge.

Initially I started out with a small chaeto ball, with 1 tiny leaf of caulurpa.  Since then the chaeto mostly melted away and the caulurpa has been growing I'd say I now have 20 "leafs" of that.. 

I have set the light cycle to counter the main tank and is ON 16 off 8. 

 

here is my general problem.  I'm getting ugly brown algae growing on the inside of the glass both of the tank (where the light goes in) and the clear plastic of the multi-tray)..  which I've been scrubbing off with a toothbrush periodically...  I'd love a more natural way to do this...  or prevent it..

 

Ideas?  about he problem or my attempt at a micro fuge in general?

 

 

[dvs1986]

i had that light and had the same problem. the lights would get so bright that they'd melt the macro and grow brown algae, even when i used it on a bigger sump, the same thing happened. ive been debating on whether or not to get the new IM chaetomax light, but that price tag really isn't doing it for me. 70 bucks for a grow light seems pretty steep.

[jeremyan7]

Ah.  so maybe i'm burning it.....  Perhaps I can put a power resister in the light to attenuate the brightness by say.....  50%?  maybe that would grow more of what I want and less of what I don't?

 

 

[jeremyan7]

So my first attempt at "attenuating" the brightness is to place a thin napkin tissue between the glass and the light (It doesn't really get hot).  This both diffuses and cuts the light amount going into the tank.  I'll monitor for a few days and see how well that works..