Chaeto really growing now!

[guitarfish]

I got a tiny amount of chaeto back in Aug '04 from an LFS. Probably could have squished it into a half cup. It didn't grow much at all for a month, so I switched to a Phillips 75w halogen light. Now that two months have gone by, the wad in the sump is as big as a football, or more. (I haven't noticed much change at all in nitrates, however, they remain about 10).

How big do I let this mass get until I start trimming it? I'm hoping to get 0 nitrates. I have plenty of room in the sump, it could easily get 4-5 times larger, I just don't know if I should let it get that big.

 

[hmott]

Let it pretty much fill the refuge. once you think it is starting to runn out of room trim it back by 25 - 50%. Let it grow out again and do it all over again. Thats what I do anyway, seems to be working for me.

 

[guitarfish]

Will do, thanks!

 

[AJtheReefer]

Guitarfish,
is the 75W a spot or flood light? Also, what is your refugium area? Are you using only one bulb?

Thanks

 

[guitarfish]

I'm using one Phillips 75 W Par 30 Halogen Spot from Home Depot. It's in my sump which is simply a 30g (36" wide) AGA tank. All that's in there is skimmer, chaeto, heaters, about 10lbs of small rock pieces, and the return pump. I have about 20g of water in it.

At Home Depot I got a light fixture for it that is an aluminum shroud, with a clamp - kinda like a worklight that you could clip to the inside of a car hood - so I have it clamped to the underneath of my stand.

I leave it on for about 12hrs a day, on timer.