Chaeto

[jakanala01]

Does anyone know where I can get a small quantity of this to grow in a side tank to help reduce nitrates and other algae?

What is the main purpose of chaeto? To reduce what exactly?

Thanks for answers

[jer77]

Livestock Selling Forum (http://reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=98)

People are always selling bags of it for cheap.

Chaeto is used in a tank by allowing it to grow, which allows the macroalgae to absorb nitrates, and phosphates in different forms. Once they grow you must harvest some and remove it in order to remove the nitrates and phosphates it utilized to grow. Its a living filter.

[ludnix]

You should be able to get some from your LFS or in the buying and selling forum here on reef central. I believe you need 50 posts to access the buying and trading forum so you might have to wait a bit. You can likely also get it from ebay or other online vendors.

The purpose of the chaeto is to consume excess nutrients which include phosphates and nitrates. These nutrients would otherwise by consumed by nuisance algae such as hair algae. The chaeto requires a light which puts out a good daylight spectrum such as a 5100k bulb or other low kelvin rated bulbs.

[WhoDat?]

If you can't find any at your lfs I'll be glad to send you some for free...(you pay shipping)... Mine doubles in size every month..... And I'm constantly throwing it away...
Let me know...