Shaving Brush Plant

[KillerReef]

Has anybody ever had one of these? I was thinking of getting a few to help with nutrient export. I have plenty of room behind my LR to plant 4-5 of them. I have no refugium.

TIA,
Dave

[skleek]

I'd try out one and see what happens.

I had one for about a month. I liked the way they looked, found a perfect spot. A day later I see my hermits picking at it. I'm like ***? Are my hermits vegetarians? Over the course of a month they picked it clean to a stump and then some. So pretty much I spent 5 bucks on some hermit food. :)

[KillerReef]

Thanks for the reply...

Good to know, because the 10 hermits I have are considered "herbivores" by Liveaquaria, which I why I got them in order to save my snail population. How many hermits do you have?

Also, did you notice any change in your no3 or po4 levels? I'm fighting a nitrate problem and am getting to my wits end on a solution, so these looked like a possibility...

[skleek]

I have 2 black legs, 3 blue leg and a scarlett in a 30 gal.

I didn't really notice any level differences. But you have to figure if the plant growing its doing it job.

You can always get some chaeto and see if they eat it or if it will grow and see if it will suck up any nitrates.

[KillerReef]

I thought about chaeto, but I don't have a refugium, the sump is in the dark so it would need to go in the main tank. How do you anchor it down? Tank has a lot flow. And finally, your hermits don't touch the chaeto?

Thanks,
Dave

[skleek]

Take a gladware container and drill a few holes on the sides. This lets a little flow passes through while it floats on the surface. Then stick some chaeto in it. I have a little frag area setup like that.

Or add some light to the sump. You can get a crappy PC bulb with a walmart desk light and clamp it on the sump and throw the chaeto in there.

They steered clear of the chaeto. Duno why?

[KillerReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585156#post15585156 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skleek
Take a gladware container and drill a few holes on the sides. This lets a little flow passes through while it floats on the surface. Then stick some chaeto in it. I have a little frag area setup like that. You can get a crappy PC bulb with a walmart desk light and clamp it on the sump and throw the chaeto in there.

Cool, that sounds easy enough. Kind of like a mini-fuge. Does yours grow well like that? No problem from the lights being so close?(I have MH)

That would be enough light for it in the sump?

Thanks,
Dave

[skleek]

For a temp test solution the gladware container is worth a shot. Not sure how hot the MH gets but you should be ok.

Yeah my friend has one of those lights for her sump/fuge.

[moevilla]

I owned 2 shaving brush plants but took them out after about 2 months. The problem with them is that they sprout new nubs rather quickly and each nub is attached to the parent via a root system. So, if you don't mind your sand bed with a weave of roots with baby sprouts growing everywhere then have at it.

Also, another idea that may work...I have a 25 gallon with no refugium or sump however the cheato that I do have is floating in a small HOB filter along with some mangroves. It's my HOB 'refugium'.

[scuba guy ron]

I would personally suggest against the shaving brush. I've collected them here locally a few years ago. they survive about a month or so in low nutrients then start to drop the brush releasing phosphates as they disintigrate. the tests showed a rise in this from undetectable to 20 ppm. Id avoid them IMO.

[KillerReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585303#post15585303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by moevilla
I owned 2 shaving brush plants but took them out after about 2 months. The problem with them is that they sprout new nubs rather quickly and each nub is attached to the parent via a root system. So, if you don't mind your sand bed with a weave of roots with baby sprouts growing everywhere then have at it.

Yeah, I'd prefer no to have them show. thanks for all the replies, I think i will look into the chaeto, either sump or tupper....

[KillerReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15585358#post15585358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scuba guy ron
I would personally suggest against the shaving brush. I've collected them here locally a few years ago. they survive about a month or so in low nutrients then start to drop the brush releasing phosphates as they disintigrate. the tests showed a rise in this from undetectable to 20 ppm. Id avoid them IMO.

definitely avoiding them now..