Dying Refugium Part 2

[fulcrum]

OK. Last thread concerned the fact that I was having trouble keeping Chaeto alive in my newly plumbed refugium. If you need specifics, search for dying refugium.
I increased my lighting to a 96 watt fixture. Its 6700K. Even though Bang said it probably wasnt a flow problem I put a small powerhead in the fuge just to keep the water circulating better (its a small rio with a control valve to keep it to a minimum, so its not excessive flow).
The chaeto still dies. I'm guessing that the chaeto dying has released phosphates into my system, because now I have a cyano bloom of ridiculous proportions.
What gives? I show about 20ppm nitrates. Clearly there's now phosphates, I have light, I have flow, and the chaeto turns pale over a few days then falls apart. WTF?

 

[fulcrum]

anyone?

 

[fulcrum]

I am going to try bumping this one more time. I have been at this hobby for 5 very successful years now, and I have come to rely on this board for extremely helpful information. I am about to the point where I scrap the whole refugium if I cant get some direciton on what might be going wrong.

 

[jojo_b]

Might it be an iron-deficiency problem?

 

[saltn00b]

the light should be strong enough....
have you tested for phosphates? what are they?
is the cheato tumbling around, or caught on something?

 

[fulcrum]

I have not tested for phosphates recently. My LFS was out of individual PO4 kits this past weekend (and I didnt want to buy one of the big combo kits).
I have a cyano bloom going on right now, so I assume phosphates are certainly present, though I dont have a value.
The chaeto is fairly stationary (as it is in my other system, where it flourishes).
From my first thread, I mentioned that I have a refugium on my other tank which is performing exceptionally well, with the same light fixture.
I've never checked for iron. How does it figure into the plant food equation?

 

[andy51632]

Any thing you do different between your 2 tanks? Do you have anything living in the tank with the dying chaeto?

 

[fulcrum]

They are both FOWLR. One is 110 gallons, the other is 92. Lighting shceme is same (hours, K value, etc)
The 110 (the one with the good refugium is a specially designed refugium sump). The 92 is a sump that i converted to refugium, so maybe its a flow issue (although it should be fine according to Bang Guy)
I started adding trace elements to correct for any iron or other chemical deificieny. I'll let you know what happens.