Refugium macroalgae struggling to grow

[rostervandross]

About a month ago I put together a sump and purchased a clump of chaeto for the refugium which has slowly withered into this:

I've been reading that it is not necessarily a bad thing and I don't have any algae problems in my display tank, but I wonder if I may be missing some nutrients like iron?

Bulb is the TCP 5100k Par38 bulb that is supposed to grow the stuff like crazy

What would you do?

 

[DaveK]

What sort of light are you using on it? How many and what wattage are the bulbs? That can make a big difference.

You can try spreading the algae out more, so more circulation can go through it and more light can get to it.

 

[landshark]

Like daveK state the light make a difference, how long are you keeping the light on for? is it on a alternate schedule from your display

 

[rostervandross]

This is the bulb, it's a 5100k and I run it along with the tank lights that are on about 9 hours A day.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037009XI/?tag=reefsanc-20

 

[Danreef]

Let see..... How many fish do you have and what is your feeding amount ?

If you do not have algae in the DT and the Cheato is not growing I will think in a lack of food...... = Phosphates.

 

[rostervandross]

I have loads of fish at the moment.. so I have nitrates but I think you may be on to something as far as lack of phosphates.

I had a bag of phosguard/phosphate remover in the sump for a while and took it out when no algae was growing in my tank for my algae eating fish to eat. It still is not and I realize that the chemipure sack in my sump also removes phosphates

So do I need to let phosphate develop to grow algae to use the nitrates in my system?