Why is my Chaeto not growing?

[phoenixfla]

I started my refugium about 3 months ago and put in some chaeto (about the size of my fist) and 3 different kinds of calupera. I light it 24/7 with a corallife 9" dual bulb fixture and a screw-in florescent bulb fixture (18 watts I think)
The calupera grows like crazy and I have been harvesting it out, but the chaeto has not grown at all. It is very dark green, but has not seem to gotten any larger. My plan was to eventually eliminate the calerpa and go exclusively with chaeto, but at this rate its not going to be possible.
The calerpa has doon a fantastic job of lowering my nitrates to near zero, however. I just wanted to use the chaeto so I do not need to worry about calurpa going sexual.
Thanks!!!

 

[thomas712]

Near 0 nitrates will cause it to grow slow. Just get rid of the caulerpa if you choose. I think NMreef also uses a combination of caulerpa and chaetomorpha algaes. I strickly use the chaeto.

 

[1journeyman]

My chaeto doesn't grow much either. I take it to be a good sign...