Remove Chaeto? Add Live Rock?

[Djturna4thakidz]

My tank has been running for 8 months with Chaeto in the refugium in my sump. The Chaeto has not grown at all but has gotten smaller. The guy at my LFS said it would be growing so much I would need to trim it, but this is not the case. My nitrate levels are 0 and the Chaeto gets 24 hours of grow light. Maybe there is not enough nitrate in the system to cause the Chaeto to grow. I wanted to remove it because it is starting to get covered in some sort of jelly algae. Is it ok to remove the Chaeto and replace with live rock rubble, or should I get some new Chaeto and try again. I am open to suggestions, or new ideas

 

[ZyberGoby]

My tank has been running for 8 months with Chaeto in the refugium in my sump. The Chaeto has not grown at all but has gotten smaller. The guy at my LFS said it would be growing so much I would need to trim it, but this is not the case. My nitrate levels are 0 and the Chaeto gets 24 hours of grow light. Maybe there is not enough nitrate in the system to cause the Chaeto to grow. I wanted to remove it because it is starting to get covered in some sort of jelly algae. Is it ok to remove the Chaeto and replace with live rock rubble, or should I get some new Chaeto and try again. I am open to suggestions, or new ideas

For myself my first bit of chaeto went south and got all kinds of slimy. I removed it and got some new chaeto along with red mangroves. That seemed to fix the problem along side changing the lighting hours from what I had of 24 hours to 18 hours. But now I don't have my sump set up any more I need a new overflow and return pump. But once I get them I'll be doing this again and also adding snails :D any ways I hope your next batch works out for you. also if only part is slimy I'd trim it and try to save what you can. if it jump starts some growth awesome because the stuff does grow quite fast when it takes hold to your system.

-Kurt :Cheers:

 

[sen5241b]

Leave the cheato in there. It is keeping your 'trates low. Take the cheato out and cut off the jelly gunk.

For cheato to effectively eat the 'trates in your system it needs strong light and strong flow. 8 to 12 hours is fine for the light period but you need strong light. I have at least 50 to 60 watts of CFL on my 2G fuge.

 

[chuck78]

Smell it. I've smelled my chaeto before I ever placed it in my fuge & to tell the truth it smelled like a fresh leafy veggie. I did that so I could tell in the future if my tank was providing enough nutrients or not. So if you smell it & it has a smell of decay toss it. IME it's better to not take chances if it's something that can be cheaply replaced.

 

[bjohanson1234]

+1 on changing the lighting to 18 hours. My cheato seems to grow better with 18 hours instead of 24 hours light.

 

[Smitty]

What type of lighting do you have over your cheato? I'd just remove the old cheato and replace it...and you could also add a few pieces of rock rubble in there too.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

So I am going to discard the Chaeto in there now because of all the jelly algae and get some new. What types are recommended? Any good websites where to buy? I am also going to add some live rock rubble. On top of that I am going to change out my lighting to CFL. What are the best models of bulb? Can I get one bulb in 50 or 60 watts? Once I get a new setup I will change to 18 hrs.

 

[ZyberGoby]

ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Tank Cleaners

John will hook you up real good and great prices on every thing....

-Kurt

 

[ponyguy]

Try some new stuff and switch the lights to run when the tank is off and a couple hrs before and after the lights go on or off...