Done with chaeto

jd371 · 08/06/2019, 09:05 AM

As the title says I'm done with chaeto. I've been in this hobby for 5 years now and made numerous attempts in both of my tanks at growing chaeto in the fuge to help out with nutrient export. You name it and I've tried it without success.
I'm not looking for more ideas on growing chaeto. Has anyone had trouble growing chaeto and switched to another type of macroalgae without doing anything and had better success, if so what did you use?

nereefpat · 08/06/2019, 09:26 AM

What are your nitrate and phosphate values?

Daddi0 · 08/06/2019, 09:52 AM

I can grow corals but I can't grow chaeto. I pulled the last of the dead stuff out and shut the lights off. I then packed the "chaeto area" of my sump with rubble. My reef actually seems a lot cleaner.
Cheers! Mark

no1bubba · 08/06/2019, 12:14 PM

I have given up too. I think there is value in having it so I have a reactor with floss and Chaeto that I purchase regularly from LFS. I hope to get a mandarin someday and I need the Chaeto for keeping them.

habavonc · 08/06/2019, 01:00 PM

My system’s main and only filtration now is cheato

I can give you couple insights about it.

You need to find good quality cheato.
First of all it needs to have diverse population of pods on it and also you should have 12-15 hours photoperiod opposite to your main lights( I use kessil H80) and also sufficient nutrients. I have turned off my skimmer at all and use filter socks with refugium and that’s it

The reason for pods is if you gonna have powerful lights on it it will be outgrown with hair algae. IMG_2452.jpg

Look at the color of it, it is so healthy

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

topjimmy · 08/06/2019, 01:03 PM

Grows like a weed in my sump.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

ThRoewer · 08/06/2019, 05:30 PM

I have a rotating Chaeto ball growing fine the sump of my haddoni biotop tank (42+14 gallon).
But in my 200 gallon system (100 gal display + 3x 20 gal Sumps/Fuge + 40 gal Algae Fuge) red macro algae and caulerpa dominate. Chaeto grows, but rather slowly. The red macro algae grow the fastest.

Jsarrow · 08/06/2019, 05:43 PM

I have Caulerpa brachypus and chateo growing in my sump under a simple 10 watt led from Home Depot. I think nutrient levels play a part in the success or lack there of in growing it. Get some Caulerpa brachypus and it will take care of your N03/P04 and I believe it dose not go "sexual" but could be wrong on that.

ThRoewer · 08/06/2019, 06:15 PM

That looks like the Caulerpa I have. It didn't go sexual in the at least two years I have it so far.

The worst in going sexual is Caulerpa racemosa, which is also one of the fastest growing Caulerpa. I had that one going from its thin form transitioning into its thick form and the thick form is the one that goes sexual all the time. You have to cut the stolons frequently to avoid losing all of it in one event.

Daddi0 · 08/06/2019, 07:41 PM

We had caulerpa growing and it took over the display tank. This stuff is a nasty weed that is even illegal in some areas. It was so hard to get rid of, I will never grow it again.
Cheers! Mark

jd371 · 08/07/2019, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nereefpat

What are your nitrate and phosphate values?

Tested on 8/3
Anemone tank - NO3 2.5 / PO4 0.2 this is the tank I'm presently trying to grow it in.
Main tank - NO3 10 / PO4 0.1 I've tried in this tank numerous times to outcompete some turf algae that's in the tank with no luck.

Michael Hoaster · 08/07/2019, 09:18 AM

I like Ulva. In Nature, it comes and goes with nutrient fluctuations - just like you'd want in your system. Plus everything from pods to tangs loves eating it, so you can feed it to your tank as well.

jd371 · 08/08/2019, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

I like Ulva. In Nature, it comes and goes with nutrient fluctuations - just like you'd want in your system. Plus everything from pods to tangs loves eating it, so you can feed it to your tank as well.

I see this stuff all the time at the beach. I'll bring some home next time I'm there.

nereefpat · 08/08/2019, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd371

Tested on 8/3
Anemone tank - NO3 2.5 / PO4 0.2 this is the tank I'm presently trying to grow it in.
Main tank - NO3 10 / PO4 0.1 I've tried in this tank numerous times to outcompete some turf algae that's in the tank with no luck.

Interesting.

Hope you find something that works better for you. Maybe an algae turf scrubber is for you.

ClownReef® · 08/09/2019, 06:39 AM

I have a scrubber and it’s pretty amazing. My water is crystal clear.

David MC Lee · 08/11/2019, 07:37 AM

I never had much luck growing it with any special light that claimed it was for growing it. I alway went back to my 250MH to get great growth.

tmnails · 08/16/2019, 08:19 PM

As mentioned, nitrate and phosphate levels play here. I've had a hard time growing it too. More fish waste! Ha

gprdypoo04 · 08/18/2019, 06:55 PM

I had four types of macro in my reactor and it went sexual clouding up my tank and killing most of my coral. Now I just run cheato and it grows not so fast for me.

jordan_reefer · 08/21/2019, 07:08 PM

It grew fast in my tank when I added in to help with nitrates. I don't know what the problem could be?

Turf Plumber · 08/22/2019, 05:09 AM

For the better part of a year I had trouble growing chaeto. I would buy it, it would slowly die off while hoards of GHA invaded my display. I had a 10gallon separate refugium tank. The refugium would get overgrown with gunk and the chaeto would die. I think my flow was too low but what I finally realized is, we are conditioned to hate nuisance algaes and we want to get every scrap out of our system. Then I evenually realized, why fight it if GHA is what wants to consume the nutrients I have in my system why not use it. So I built an algae turf scrubber and it works amazingly well. And I built it over a 5 gallon tote in place of my 10g refugium, just so I could have a place to fill with rock rubble for pods that fall out of the scrubber. And amazingly, the scrubber grows pods like crazy. They love GHA just as much as chaeto if not more. My glass is covered in pods even during the day. Because of the super high flow and light only has to penetrate a thin screen of water, conditions are so good for algae in the scrubber that it cant help but outcompete your display. At least it worked wonders for me and I was in the same boat as you. Chaeto is picky and no one agrees on what conditions are best for it. With a scrubber there are detailed guidelines that pretty much guarantee success. Plus chaeto doesnt really consume phosphate which was the main reason I had GHA so bad. Anyway sorry for the long-winded post but that's my experience.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

08/06/2019, 09:05 AM	#1
jd371 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Long Island Posts: 615	Done with chaeto As the title says I'm done with chaeto. I've been in this hobby for 5 years now and made numerous attempts in both of my tanks at growing chaeto in the fuge to help out with nutrient export. You name it and I've tried it without success. I'm not looking for more ideas on growing chaeto. Has anyone had trouble growing chaeto and switched to another type of macroalgae without doing anything and had better success, if so what did you use?

08/06/2019, 09:26 AM	#2
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	What are your nitrate and phosphate values? __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

08/06/2019, 09:52 AM	#3
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	I can grow corals but I can't grow chaeto. I pulled the last of the dead stuff out and shut the lights off. I then packed the "chaeto area" of my sump with rubble. My reef actually seems a lot cleaner. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

08/06/2019, 01:03 PM	#6
topjimmy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Youngstown, Ohio Posts: 484	Grows like a weed in my sump. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk __________________ It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen. Aristotle

08/06/2019, 05:30 PM	#7
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	I have a rotating Chaeto ball growing fine the sump of my haddoni biotop tank (42+14 gallon). But in my 200 gallon system (100 gal display + 3x 20 gal Sumps/Fuge + 40 gal Algae Fuge) red macro algae and caulerpa dominate. Chaeto grows, but rather slowly. The red macro algae grow the fastest. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

08/06/2019, 12:14 PM	#4
no1bubba Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Lancaster PA Posts: 405	I have given up too. I think there is value in having it so I have a reactor with floss and Chaeto that I purchase regularly from LFS. I hope to get a mandarin someday and I need the Chaeto for keeping them.

08/06/2019, 01:00 PM	#5
habavonc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 19	My system’s main and only filtration now is cheato I can give you couple insights about it. You need to find good quality cheato. First of all it needs to have diverse population of pods on it and also you should have 12-15 hours photoperiod opposite to your main lights( I use kessil H80) and also sufficient nutrients. I have turned off my skimmer at all and use filter socks with refugium and that’s it The reason for pods is if you gonna have powerful lights on it it will be outgrown with hair algae. IMG_2452.jpg Look at the color of it, it is so healthy Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/06/2019, 05:43 PM	#8
Jsarrow Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Northbay Posts: 179	I have Caulerpa brachypus and chateo growing in my sump under a simple 10 watt led from Home Depot. I think nutrient levels play a part in the success or lack there of in growing it. Get some Caulerpa brachypus and it will take care of your N03/P04 and I believe it dose not go "sexual" but could be wrong on that.

08/06/2019, 06:15 PM	#9
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	That looks like the Caulerpa I have. It didn't go sexual in the at least two years I have it so far. The worst in going sexual is Caulerpa racemosa, which is also one of the fastest growing Caulerpa. I had that one going from its thin form transitioning into its thick form and the thick form is the one that goes sexual all the time. You have to cut the stolons frequently to avoid losing all of it in one event. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

08/06/2019, 07:41 PM	#10
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	We had caulerpa growing and it took over the display tank. This stuff is a nasty weed that is even illegal in some areas. It was so hard to get rid of, I will never grow it again. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

08/07/2019, 09:18 AM	#12
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I like Ulva. In Nature, it comes and goes with nutrient fluctuations - just like you'd want in your system. Plus everything from pods to tangs loves eating it, so you can feed it to your tank as well. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

08/09/2019, 06:39 AM	#15
ClownReef® Bubbletrousing Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 1,872	I have a scrubber and it’s pretty amazing. My water is crystal clear. __________________ Waterbox Peninsula 5526 l Ecotech Radion XR30w G4 l Ecotech Vectra M1 l MP40QDW l Vertex Omega 180i l Tunze ATO l Apex Fusion l DOS l Trident l Ice Cap Scrubber

08/11/2019, 07:37 AM	#16
David MC Lee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South of Springfield IL. Posts: 1,645	I never had much luck growing it with any special light that claimed it was for growing it. I alway went back to my 250MH to get great growth.

08/16/2019, 08:19 PM	#17
tmnails Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 25	As mentioned, nitrate and phosphate levels play here. I've had a hard time growing it too. More fish waste! Ha

08/18/2019, 06:55 PM	#18
gprdypoo04 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 389	I had four types of macro in my reactor and it went sexual clouding up my tank and killing most of my coral. Now I just run cheato and it grows not so fast for me.

08/21/2019, 07:08 PM	#19
jordan_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 11	It grew fast in my tank when I added in to help with nitrates. I don't know what the problem could be?

08/22/2019, 05:09 AM	#20
Turf Plumber Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 13	For the better part of a year I had trouble growing chaeto. I would buy it, it would slowly die off while hoards of GHA invaded my display. I had a 10gallon separate refugium tank. The refugium would get overgrown with gunk and the chaeto would die. I think my flow was too low but what I finally realized is, we are conditioned to hate nuisance algaes and we want to get every scrap out of our system. Then I evenually realized, why fight it if GHA is what wants to consume the nutrients I have in my system why not use it. So I built an algae turf scrubber and it works amazingly well. And I built it over a 5 gallon tote in place of my 10g refugium, just so I could have a place to fill with rock rubble for pods that fall out of the scrubber. And amazingly, the scrubber grows pods like crazy. They love GHA just as much as chaeto if not more. My glass is covered in pods even during the day. Because of the super high flow and light only has to penetrate a thin screen of water, conditions are so good for algae in the scrubber that it cant help but outcompete your display. At least it worked wonders for me and I was in the same boat as you. Chaeto is picky and no one agrees on what conditions are best for it. With a scrubber there are detailed guidelines that pretty much guarantee success. Plus chaeto doesnt really consume phosphate which was the main reason I had GHA so bad. Anyway sorry for the long-winded post but that's my experience. Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk