I can't keep chaeto

[Clown79]

I have no idea why but no matter what, I can't keep chaeto. Macro really.

 

I tried mermaid fan in my 10g, it died.

Tried dragons breath in my 10g it died

 

Tried dragons breath in my 5.5g - died

 

Tried dragons breath in my 25g - it shrunk down to nothing but my blenny was caught eating it 

 

Tried chaeto in my 25g most recently.

 

First had it in a basket in the tank and it shrunk

 

Placed it in my media basket with a 6w 5000k led light for 6hrs reverse cycle.

 

It shrunk down to nothing and areas were whitish

 

Got another batch and switched to a grow led. Red and blue spectrum bulb.

Chaeto started shrinking, going brown in areas and literally mush.

 

I find even with filter floss detritus gets in the area of the chaeto. 

 

I don't get it. I have nutrients, not overly high but certainly between 5-7 nitrate.

 

Why is it some of us have no luck with macro and others grow it easily? 

 

 

[specore]

I have my chaeto on a 17 hr cycle.  Maybe 6hrs just wasn't enough photo period for it?

[FISHnChix]

Weird.. maybe not enough phos??  Yea I also run my fuge light 24/7

[Aurortpa]

IME most macros love a heavily fed tank and extremely high flow in that order.

 

If detritus gets stuck on it, it is possible other growing micro organics could have impeded it’s growth perhaps.  The higher flow ensures the macro stays clean so to speak.

 

Apparently chem filtrants can strip stuff they may need too, as they take nutrients out before it is converted so I’m told. 

 

Shrinking for red macros sometimes means too much of light. 

 

Maybe try caulerpa prolifera, it’s a very fast grower and very hardy—likes to stay in substrate and avoids rock. Mine grows .5 to an inch a day, against the backwall, behind my rockwork, so it receives very little indirect light.