Chaeto disappearing

[Michaelr5]

Hello All!

Could not decide whether to post here or in refugium. A few weeks ago I put a big fistful (1/2lb) of Chaeto in my new fuge allong with some LR rubble I bought. Everyting seemed to be fine for a while, I even started seeing a lot of little bugs crawling around in the sand. But in the last 3 days I have noticed that my Chaeto seems to be disappearing! I don't have any big animals in the fuge, and it is not dying (at least not that I can see). It just seems to be getting thinner. I also had some pieces that had broken off and stuck themselves in the sand and were starting to grow. No they also seem to be stalled and withering. All main water parameters are fine Ammonia, nitrite both 0, Nitrate a little high at 40, but that is supposedly what the aglae is for, right? PH 7.8 - 8.0, SG 1.024. Last calcium was at 340, but don't have any thing yet that needs it, although I want to start building it up for some inverts. Running reverse lighting with a 14W ReefSun flourescent in the fuge. Any Ideas?

[Birdlady]

pH is low, possibly indicating low alkalinity. Chaeto needs calcium.

Also, what color temp is that bulb? I see explosive growth since switching to a 'yellow' spectrum bulb (like 6500K)

[Michaelr5]

I'll start trying to balance those things out. The Reef Sun is a 50/50 6500k/Actinic

Thanks for the info

Mike