Cheato I got smells bad

[SSweet1]

I ordered some cheato and got it next day but it smells like a sewer. Should I rinse it and use it? It looks nice and green but it does have some white around the edges. I need it for my refugium but this stuff smells, I didnt think it was supposed to smell like this. Carrie

 

[bluenassarius]

hmm chaeto isn't supposed to smell like that... i haven't had any macro that has a stench. i have about 10 different varieties of macro too. where did you get it from

 

[moggyhill]

I've never had any smell, I'd probably pitch it just to be safe.

 

[SSweet1]

I got it from someone on this site selling it, It was packaged well but may have gotten cold overnight?? I am going to try rinsing it and see if it still smells but I will still hold off on putting it in the tank until more people chime in here. I cant seem to find it locally in any of the fish stores so that is why I hate to just throw it away. Carrie

 

[jennifer24]

trim off all bad looking areas, rinse it in some sw. then place in a bucket with heater and powerhead and keep an eye on it for a while just to make sure it does not pollute your tank. maybe it did get cold, but maybe it can pull through. jennifer

 

[bluenassarius]

hey carrie is it the "thin" kinda of chaeto or "thick" kind? i have both and i totally prefer the thick over thin. the thick ones are like spaghetti strands and the thin ones are like vermicelli. the thin ones break up easily and end up EVERYWHERE in your tank! it's hecka annoying.

 

[SSweet1]

Well I rinsed it real good and it didnt smell after that. The water smelled horrible though. I think the plankton or pods must have died and caused the smell because the cheato was nice and green except for a few white areas and had a sweet plant kinda smell. So I took a chance and put it in the refugium and it seems to be just fine. It is the thin kind and yeah your right I do prefer the stiffer thick type. I have two tanks and my 125 gallon has the thicker stuff, hopefully I wont need to purchase anymore!! Thanks for the help, Carrie

 

[moggyhill]

if you leave the lights on 24/7 in your 125 refugium you should have plenty of the kind you like in no time.