Chaeto reactor

[Tanthaitrung]

Dear all

I’m now using Red Sea NO3:PO4-X. I would like to run a Skimz 157 chaeto reactor in my sump. And have some questions:

- Except iron, what trace elements will chaeto absorb?

- If chaeto works well. Should I take out skimmer, filter sock, activated carbon? Why?

Thanks in advance

[Michael Hoaster]

Iron is the biggee, of the trace elements. You can dose trace elements if you don't do water changes. If you do, that will take care of them.

You could toss your skimmer, filter sock, and carbon, if you like. It depends on what your priorities are. If you want a pristine, low nutrient reef tank, you might want to keep them, as a multi-pronged approach.

[Tanthaitrung]

Thanks so much for your sharing

[Mr. Manty]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Iron is the biggee, of the trace elements. You can dose trace elements if you don't do water changes. If you do, that will take care of them.

You could toss your skimmer, filter sock, and carbon, if you like. It depends on what your priorities are. If you want a pristine, low nutrient reef tank, you might want to keep them, as a multi-pronged approach.

My chaeto has stopped growing and is now breaking apart after about a month of no water changes in my 20 gal. I do dose iron in the form of flourish iron. Plenty of nitrate and phosphate are available as well. Have you heard of trace elements other than iron limiting growth of chaeto?

[Michael Hoaster]

No I have not. It is possible, but unlikely, if you are feeding the tank fish food. At the other end of the spectrum is the MOST needed nutrient - Carbon. Quite often in aquariums, as well as in Nature, Carbon is the limiting nutrient for plants. That is why fresh water plant enthusiats add CO2. I have done the same with marine macros and seagrasses, with great results.

Your chaeto breaking up means it has gotten too big to sustain growth under the current nutrient and light conditions. The simplest solution would be to prune it way down. In essence making it a 'smaller mouth to feed'. Plus you are exporting the excess nutrients the chaeto has taken up, which for most folks, is the point of keeping chaeto.

[Mr. Manty]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

No I have not. It is possible, but unlikely, if you are feeding the tank fish food. At the other end of the spectrum is the MOST needed nutrient - Carbon. Quite often in aquariums, as well as in Nature, Carbon is the limiting nutrient for plants. That is why fresh water plant enthusiats add CO2. I have done the same with marine macros and seagrasses, with great results.

Your chaeto breaking up means it has gotten too big to sustain growth under the current nutrient and light conditions. The simplest solution would be to prune it way down. In essence making it a 'smaller mouth to feed'. Plus you are exporting the excess nutrients the chaeto has taken up, which for most folks, is the point of keeping chaeto.

The chaeto breaks apart, gets smaller and smaller, and just disappears. It does this while nutrients are rising in the tank as well. There seems to be a lot of people online that are in my situation.

[Mr. Manty]

Oops double post