Anybody need some chaeto?

[ReefJerk]

It's about the size of a soccer ball. Has some pods, mysis shrimp, mini-stars, bristleworms and whatever else lives in my fuge. I will be dumping it on Friday (trash day).

 

[krafty]

I have a question for you since you seem to be growing it well.

I have had a ball that is about the size of a softball for a while now. It has not really grown at the rate I expected. The person who gave it to me said he harvests it about once every two weeks. Mine is not growing nearly that fast. It looks healthy but is not growing rapidly.

Are there any conditions that need to be present, other than nitrates, for the algae to grow?

Thanks.

Josh

 

[murfman]

it should have some kind of flow to make it tumble slowly, exposing all sides to the light. You could also move it around by hand on a daily basis. What kind of lighting do you have over the fuge?

 

[ReefJerk]

Although mine doesn't tumble, it does grow like crazy. My fuge is about 16" x 30" so it has quite a bit of room to spread. I actually just put my light on the fuge about month ago. Before that(since August) it's been in the dark just sitting there dormant. But as Murf said, light is the key.

 

[pouponfrance]

I gave a bunch away during the last meeting and after being left with a softball size bunch of chaeto then, it's now volleyball size. Not much flow going into my sump and I've got just a 90 watt bulb on it timed for 12 hours a day. Tons of copepods and amphipods, no worms though.

 

[krafty]

Maybe my light is the problem. I dont know how many watts the fixture puts out but it is a CF that has one side as daylight and the other as actinic. It was a 30 dollar fixture so it probably isnt all that grand.

 

[ReefJerk]

It maybe that the bulb needs to e replaced. How old is it?