Is there such a thing as too much Chaeto?

[Stevorino]

I was doing my monthly maintenance this weekend and noticed that I had accumulated what seems to be three-four 5-gallon buckets worth of Chaeto in the sump. It's a nice dark green and looks super healthy.

The tank looks solid and the nitrates are undetectable when I tested using 2 different kits.

So now I'm trying to figure out whether I dump a bunch of it and let it re-grow (as I usually do) or if I should just let it sit there and suck up the nitrates a mass this big needs to survive. I've never had this big of a mass of Chaeto and curious what would happen if I just let it continue to grow... I'm assuming it's also a fantastic breeding ground for pods, etc.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[JohnZena]

I was doing my monthly maintenance this weekend and noticed that I had accumulated what seems to be three-four 5-gallon buckets worth of Chaeto in the sump. It's a nice dark green and looks super healthy.

The tank looks solid and the nitrates are undetectable when I tested using 2 different kits.

So now I'm trying to figure out whether I dump a bunch of it and let it re-grow (as I usually do) or if I should just let it sit there and suck up the nitrates a mass this big needs to survive. I've never had this big of a mass of Chaeto and curious what would happen if I just let it continue to grow... I'm assuming it's also a fantastic breeding ground for pods, etc.

Any thoughts are appreciated!There is an irony to your post. I spent way to much money yesterday to get chaeto by Friday and I have a friend who has been looking for chaeto for a week. Then there is steverino who has buckets in his sump. I have never had that problem so I cant answer your question intelligently. Strictly guessing I would think that it is hindering pods from making it to your DT because of the density. It needs to be tumbling. Someone will give you the correct answer.

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[Stevorino]

There is an irony to your post. I spent way to much money yesterday to get chaeto by Friday and I have a friend who has been looking for chaeto for a week. Then there is steverino who has buckets in his sump. I have never had that problem so I cant answer your question intelligently. Strictly guessing I would think that it is hindering pods from making it to your DT because of the density. It needs to be tumbling. Someone will give you the correct answer.

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LOL, I remember buying Chaeto for the first time and thinking the same thing ;)

There's flow in the sump but certainly not enough to tumble this mass.. I'd need the biggest Jaebo (maybe 2) to even get it to sway. So yes, to your point there's very likely a reduction in pod movement as a result.

[JZinCO]

I'd guess that, as far as nutrient export goes, don't trim it until you see signs of it shading itself out or slowing (greater mass requires greater resources).
I'd also guess that dense macroalgae is better habitat than open water for most of the pods we care about. Maybe contact a breeder such as AlgaeBarn and get their opinion.

[sh4rkbyt3]

Like John Zena I too had the same issue. Paid way too much for a baseball size clump of it at a LFS.

My intentions would be to use a reactor to grow it for my own use eventually and then perhaps trade off the excess (eventually) to a LFS for some credit perhaps? I know market wise it won't likely bring the price of it down for others but at least it will be available, which in our area is often the problem.

Everytime I use to go into a LFS and ask if they had chaeto I would always get the same reply. "We have to wait til our next shipment arrives to see if we get any". Seriously? It's not that hard or expensive to grow and you should be able to replenish your own stock in house for very little after the first 2-3 batches are sold.

Maybe I'm missing something here but to me this seems like a no brainer?

[Michael Hoaster]

I think you should continue to do what you usually do and export some. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Otherwise it will eventually outgrow its nutrient supply and crash, releasing all those bound-up nutrients.

Maybe you could sell some here on RC. Sounds like there's a pretty good market for it!

[Moort82]

From my experience it grows faster with regular removals and opening up of the remainder. When it's dense you might still see good growth but by opening up the structure to flow and light, you tend to see a boom in growth. Mine grows quickest when I harvest a quarter a week or so.
I also don't run filter socks and the chaeto acts a bit like mechanical filtration so taking out the middle each time removes a lot of crud.

[Moort82]

From my experience it grows faster with regular removals and opening up of the remainder. When it's dense you might still see good growth but by opening up the structure to flow and light, you tend to see a boom in growth. Mine grows quickest when I harvest a quarter a week or so.
I also don't run filter socks and the chaeto acts a bit like mechanical filtration so taking out the middle each time removes a lot of crud.