cheato growth

septicdeath · 05/09/2012, 10:39 AM

So, used to grow golf balls to softballs in my 28g nano (in a steve t basket) with jbj led fudge light, but havent been able to get it to grow in my new tank.

I'll admit that I didn't toss just a golf ball size into my 18g sump, I added all that I had, lets stick with the ball size, and say 5 softball sized clumps that turned into one large rectangle in my fudge section of my sump. I have a jbj 25w macro glow light over it (6400).

Maybe I tossed too much in for starters?, I am running a phosphate reactor (hanna tests at .05 ppm) and nitrates are 2.5 - 5.0 ppm (salifert) or maybe my nutrients are just not there? I dont have any hair algae or un sightly algae in the tank (points to low nutrients). There is some coralline algae starting in on the baffles leading out of the fudge into the return chamber of my sump. Seems arrogant to state that I dont have the nutrients in my tank, but maybe the gfo and rox along with 0.0 tds ro/di water is doing what it should?

Some of the cheato has thick green stocks still, but quite a bit of it is thin and starting to look mushy (1/2 at least). I had 3 or 4 softball sized clumps that went all mushy, so I just pulled and tossed all that and got the large clump that is fading away now from a friend. Im looking for the cheato mostly as a area for pods to hide and grow, as well as the reverse lighting PH positive effects, rather than nutrient consumption since my nitrates and phosphates are low.

Anyways, should I just remove as much as I can, leaving only the most healthiest in the sump, with the assumption that it will grow to where it needs to for the nutrients available, <- typing that kicks me in the head, of course this is what I should do, and if a small clump wont grow, while po4/no2 still stay low, just dont worry about it?

Thanks in advance.

-John

Fryman · 05/29/2012, 01:05 AM

You have measurable phosphate & nitrate, so lack of nutrients is not it. Most people shoot for non-measurable levels. Yours are not bad, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, but this is not the reason your chaeto isn't doing well.

Chaeto needs light and flow. Seems that the conditions aren't quite right. I'd guess you don't have enough light for the amount of chaeto you have. IME chaeto grows best with alot of light and moderate flow.

jonathanyhsu · 06/10/2012, 01:49 PM

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry

Have you tried an iron supplement in the new tank? I tried to use Chaetomorpha to leach away some nitrates in a new tank, and I had an 800 lumen lamp, flow (100 gph in a 10 gallon tank), and plenty of nutrition in terms of nitrates (40ppm). I initially had no real results for two weeks; soon as I used an iron supplement, the growth took off and the tank zero'd out on nitrates two more weeks later. Kent's Iron & Manganese seems to be a common one, and it doesn't contain any other metals if you are concerned about coral supplements (some contain very trace amounts of copper).

05/09/2012, 10:39 AM	#1
septicdeath Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 167	cheato growth So, used to grow golf balls to softballs in my 28g nano (in a steve t basket) with jbj led fudge light, but havent been able to get it to grow in my new tank. I'll admit that I didn't toss just a golf ball size into my 18g sump, I added all that I had, lets stick with the ball size, and say 5 softball sized clumps that turned into one large rectangle in my fudge section of my sump. I have a jbj 25w macro glow light over it (6400). Maybe I tossed too much in for starters?, I am running a phosphate reactor (hanna tests at .05 ppm) and nitrates are 2.5 - 5.0 ppm (salifert) or maybe my nutrients are just not there? I dont have any hair algae or un sightly algae in the tank (points to low nutrients). There is some coralline algae starting in on the baffles leading out of the fudge into the return chamber of my sump. Seems arrogant to state that I dont have the nutrients in my tank, but maybe the gfo and rox along with 0.0 tds ro/di water is doing what it should? Some of the cheato has thick green stocks still, but quite a bit of it is thin and starting to look mushy (1/2 at least). I had 3 or 4 softball sized clumps that went all mushy, so I just pulled and tossed all that and got the large clump that is fading away now from a friend. Im looking for the cheato mostly as a area for pods to hide and grow, as well as the reverse lighting PH positive effects, rather than nutrient consumption since my nitrates and phosphates are low. Anyways, should I just remove as much as I can, leaving only the most healthiest in the sump, with the assumption that it will grow to where it needs to for the nutrients available, <- typing that kicks me in the head, of course this is what I should do, and if a small clump wont grow, while po4/no2 still stay low, just dont worry about it? Thanks in advance. -John Last edited by septicdeath; 05/09/2012 at 11:07 AM.

06/10/2012, 01:49 PM	#3
jonathanyhsu Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 7	http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry Have you tried an iron supplement in the new tank? I tried to use Chaetomorpha to leach away some nitrates in a new tank, and I had an 800 lumen lamp, flow (100 gph in a 10 gallon tank), and plenty of nutrition in terms of nitrates (40ppm). I initially had no real results for two weeks; soon as I used an iron supplement, the growth took off and the tank zero'd out on nitrates two more weeks later. Kent's Iron & Manganese seems to be a common one, and it doesn't contain any other metals if you are concerned about coral supplements (some contain very trace amounts of copper). __________________ -Jonathan

05/29/2012, 01:05 AM	#2
Fryman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Belmont, CA Posts: 315	You have measurable phosphate & nitrate, so lack of nutrients is not it. Most people shoot for non-measurable levels. Yours are not bad, so I wouldn't worry too much about it, but this is not the reason your chaeto isn't doing well. Chaeto needs light and flow. Seems that the conditions aren't quite right. I'd guess you don't have enough light for the amount of chaeto you have. IME chaeto grows best with alot of light and moderate flow.