I have never used cheato before and had a few questions that may seem a little dumb to some. I'm setting up a 10 or 20 gallon long tank and plan on running it just live rock, live sand and no skimmer. I'm debating on setting up an AquaClear 70-110 either one of two ways. Way one with some chaeto BUT would an LED light from a nano tank I had be sufficient (fluval Spec) to keep the chaeto growing properly. Would the filter with some cheato, floss and maybe chemi pure elite work well? Any suggestions are more than welcome!
1st time cheato user
- Thread starter Ryand63
- Start date
xian
Premium Member
I'm pretty sure those "spec" lights are used to keep mushrooms going. If so they're adequate for chaeto. Something to keep in mind though. You don't want to just keep the chaeto alive you want it to grow and grow fast. That is the point of using chaeto for nutrient export. You want it to grow as fast as possible and you want to gather as much biomass as possible.
I've always gotten the best chaeto growth with a CFL floodlight from home depot. Not pretty but something about the light color grows the chaeto.
machodik
Active member
Hi there!
After reading some of the post about Cheato, I have try to secure some Cheato few days agao. and tremendously, some of my numbers change. I wonder if this is the effect of teh cheato or just simply my vodka dosing finally getting effec.
For a short brief history of my tank. For the past 8 month till date, I have been dosing Vodka + Vinegar for my 340 liters of tank but my No3 stays 20 ppm and my Po4 stay between 0 to 0.25 (I am using seachem phosguard). few days ago before I got my cheato, the numbers is just the same. but after 3 days of having my cheato, my numbers become: No3 (15ppm), Po4 (0 ppm). this is seems to be nice but I wonder, Cheat can act fast???
Right now, I am confuse what have make this miracle? of coarse will continue checking the water parameter in the coming days.
Cheers,
MD
After reading some of the post about Cheato, I have try to secure some Cheato few days agao. and tremendously, some of my numbers change. I wonder if this is the effect of teh cheato or just simply my vodka dosing finally getting effec.
For a short brief history of my tank. For the past 8 month till date, I have been dosing Vodka + Vinegar for my 340 liters of tank but my No3 stays 20 ppm and my Po4 stay between 0 to 0.25 (I am using seachem phosguard). few days ago before I got my cheato, the numbers is just the same. but after 3 days of having my cheato, my numbers become: No3 (15ppm), Po4 (0 ppm). this is seems to be nice but I wonder, Cheat can act fast???
Right now, I am confuse what have make this miracle? of coarse will continue checking the water parameter in the coming days.
Cheers,
MD
machodik
Active member
I love this light...
The UP Aqua UA-F17 Flexible LED fixture. Marine depot sells it. I grow Chaeto like nobody's business with it. I've got a modded auqaclear 50 and 70. See...
A typical pull
Doesn't vodka dosing kill macro? Or am I confused?
You got a nice full of Cheato....please share with us, do you only relay on cheato to lower your nutrients? how is uyour no3 and po4?
lastly, I am also surprised hope someone tell us if Vodka kills our cheato or not?
Cheers,
MD
L
lljdma06
New member
Thank you, I've got 4 tanks...
8g - only chaeto and water changes
5.5g - only chaeto and water changes
Biocube - chaeto, chemi-pure elite, purigen
36g - macro algae tank
I tend to do much larger water changes. I do them weekly and for the smaller tanks, I'll easily drain 50% or more per water change and grow the chaeto. I also feed heavily, everyday. Tbh, I've not tested my nitrate and phosphates for a while. I'm assuming both are low, why? Because...
1. My sps corals are extended and growing
2. There is very little algae, other than coraline, in any of my tanks.
When I get home today, I can test a few tanks to see where I stand. Last time I tested for nitrates, it was at 15ppm, but that was before I started the refugiums. I'm curious to see how the numbers are now. I have to pulll chaeto every 2-3 weeks. I pull about that much when I do. My fuges are small. The sizes are below.
Chamber 1 in an 8g Oceanic biocube;
Modded Aquaclear 50
Modded Aquaclear 70
I need to add timers to the fuges today. I'm a bit of a slacker. I try to run them on opposite photoperiods, but sometimes I forget.
Hope this helps,
L
8g - only chaeto and water changes
5.5g - only chaeto and water changes
Biocube - chaeto, chemi-pure elite, purigen
36g - macro algae tank
I tend to do much larger water changes. I do them weekly and for the smaller tanks, I'll easily drain 50% or more per water change and grow the chaeto. I also feed heavily, everyday. Tbh, I've not tested my nitrate and phosphates for a while. I'm assuming both are low, why? Because...
1. My sps corals are extended and growing
2. There is very little algae, other than coraline, in any of my tanks.
When I get home today, I can test a few tanks to see where I stand. Last time I tested for nitrates, it was at 15ppm, but that was before I started the refugiums. I'm curious to see how the numbers are now. I have to pulll chaeto every 2-3 weeks. I pull about that much when I do. My fuges are small. The sizes are below.
Chamber 1 in an 8g Oceanic biocube;
Modded Aquaclear 50
Modded Aquaclear 70
I need to add timers to the fuges today. I'm a bit of a slacker. I try to run them on opposite photoperiods, but sometimes I forget.
Hope this helps,
L
machodik
Active member
thanks and well noted.
I am now trying to raised my cheato the same way I am giving to my DT. I believed they play an important role in bringing down my NO3 AND PO4. will re-check the numbers after 3 days and see if the number is keeping the down hill trend.
I am now confuse if I am going to add the sulfur and calcium reactor. since I got a good numbers after I started with cheato....do you think this is related to my cheato? as I just put in few days and numbers drops. Now I am confuse if this is my Vodka or my No3 +denniballs reactor or simply the credit is for the cheato???
lljdma06
New member
Honestly, I wouldn't know, there are now too many variables. All I know is that I just use cheato or macro algae for 3 out 4 of my tanks. I'll really try tonight to get some numbers for you. It's the day before a water change, so it's a great time to see if nutrient export is really at work. Really, I should be doing a blanket test of all my systems. I'm terrible with this really. Comes from my planted tank background. I NEVER tested the water in any of my planted tanks. I just got very good at observing my plants. The second I noticed something was even a bit little off, I immediately knew what to do. SW is not the same as planted tanks. Hahaha...
L
L
BigCountry74
New member
x2
watermydoing
New member
If I may chime in here, Im am very close to replacing my bioballs wet/dry sump with a DIY 20gal high refugium, , I have everything I need except for Cheato. I plan on installing it next weekend during my water change. I'm not sure if my LFS sells cheato, I also don't know how its packaged. Is it packaged in water or plastic bag with no water? I guess I'm just trying to time the install with the arrival of the cheato, I dont know how long it can stay out of water or in a bag? I want to be able to remove the existing sump, replace it with refuge, hook up my return and overflow lines, add water and add the cheato.
