chaeto in main tank

[fishbait]

has anyone ever tried chaeto in their main tank? have you had success with it? how much does it take to be effecient in nutrient export? i just recieved a nice wad of chaeto that i purchased off ebay. i placed in the the main tank behind the live rock. i have my rock aquascaped so that it bows toward the front of the tank leaving a nice little open area in the back. i placed in there with some live rock rubble to make a small in tank fuge. is it true that herbivors wont munch on chaeto? i'm hoping this will benifit my tank until i can afford to set up a sump/fuge.

 

[yote]

I've read where chaeto is bad about trying to take over the tank.Don't quote me on that,because I don't know for sure.

 

[matthew1048]

Seems like I've read the same thing Yote.

 

[bobby]

Cheato can take over your tank and grow over everything. If you dont have a sump you can you can buy one of those clear plastic shampoo or soap holders for the shower you know the ones with suction cups and stick it to the back of the tank and put it in there that way it cant spread in the tank. Or what I'm doing now since I dont have a sump is made a mesh basket and put it in my HOB filter and got one of those round dome light fixtures and a swirly florestant light that is 10000k daylight bulb from walmart for about 5 bucks it is 20 watts but gives off something like 75 watts and it works great.
If you want more info on the bulb or something let me know and I'll take some pics.

 

[NewbReefer]

I can see issues with it, IF it grows it will try and take over the tank. it generaly grows fast given the proper water flow, light and nutrients. i would think being behind the rock it would have proper flow and nutrients but if it's not getting any light it may not pull the nitrates outta the water to allow growth, if it's getting light it may pull lots of nitrates out of the water and grow fast and over take your tank.

 

[fishbait]

it gets lots of light. there's not any rocks over the top of it. you guys think it is chaeto that takes over the tank? i thought it was caelurpa (probably spelled wrong) that takes over the tank. it's been a while since i read up on it. but the chaeto isn't supposed to attach to anything. it does grow fast when conditions are right and will need to be trimmed back every week or so. and doesn't go asexual like caelurpa. i could be wrong like i said i haven't read up on it in a while

 

[NewbReefer]

Chaeto does not go asexual but it will have to be trimmed reguarly. if you have a tang it may nibble at it a bit, which helps to keep it from growing so fast.

 

[jhnrb]

Chaetomorpha - common name: Green Hair Algae

Dark or light green stiff fine or coarse banded hair like fiaments that grow in losse clumps like locks of curly hair. Also grow on glass, forming a low bright green turf when heavily grazed.

similar: Cladophora, Rbizodonium.

Not palatable to many hergbivouous fishes. Fast growing and esily maintained in a refugium or algal filter. An ideal genus for use in algae filters to control nutrient levels.

Controls: surgeonfish, rabbitfish, diadema urchin, tuxedo urchin.

Ref: Julian Sprung.

hope this helps

 

[Bifferwine]

I'd take a cheap clear tupperware container and punch some holes in it and put the chaeto in that and then put it into your main tank (hang it off the side), if you want to keep it in your main tank. Chaeto doesn't attach to anything, but its filaments break off and float around easily, which makes it difficult to control.

 

[fishbait]

yeah, it does definately do that biff. it's like trying to get steel wool out of my powerheads. but, i have been fooling around with my tank a lot the last couple of days and moving the chaeto around a lot.

 

[fishbait]

i think it's working. the first week it didn't seem to do so well. it was starting to look pale and didn't have any growth. but, i did still have quite a bit of hair algae in my tank. i got bored 3 days ago (and sick and tired of the hair algae) and took all of my rock out piece by piece. and used water from my water change and put it in the kitchen sink. i scrubbed every inch of every rock with a toothbrush (not the one my wife uses) then dipped in in clean saltwater and placed it back in the tank. there were still a few small patches i didn't get off. mostly because i couldn't tell they were still there because the water turned so black. it has been three days since i have done this and the chaeto is showing significant signs of new lush green growth. and the few patches of hair algae seem to be withering away! so,i guess the trick is to let the chaeto out number the hair and make it starve the hair of nutrients and not the other way around.