Cheato in the main tank

[Billybeau1]

I'm wondering if anyone does this and does it work.

I have a 72 gal FO with bio-balls in the sump. No live rock. I have been happy with my water quality except nitrates and phosphate levels are high (go figure.) I am constantly scraping red algea off my glass. Fish are happy and healthy. I have no desire to replace my bio-balls with live rock as I dont have the room.

Anyway, the other day someone offered my some free cheato. He was trimming his and did not want to just throw it away. I thought gees, what if I put it in the main tank. So I brought it home and stuck it in the tank wedged behind the back wall and a rock. Its a little smaller than football size. It actually looks kinda nice in there and my fish are (at least at this point) leaving it alone.

I am curious to see if (A) it survives and grows, and (B) if it will compete with nutrients to get rid of my micro algea, and (C) if it will lower my nitrate and PO4 levels.

Anyone ever done this?

 

[wills]

I just got some from a fellow reefer who has his in his main display using a feeding clip to keep it in 1 place. I have a Nano Cube so I put it in a mesh media bag (Dr. Foster & Smith sells them) and placed it in the back chamber.

I'm sure it can't hurt but I'd rather not have little strands of it breaking off and floating around my tank but it's up to you.

 

[20reefer]

Remove the bio balls slowly.You dont need to replace them, the live rock of the main tank will take care of that(PERSONAL EXPERIENCE).

 

[Billybeau1]

Well that would be real good advice "IF" I had any live rock, which I'm sure I stated, I dio not have any. I suspect removing bio-balls in my situation would crash the tank.

Thanks anyway.

 

[20reefer]

Sorry I tough you said that you dont have lr in your filter; english is not my first language and sometimes I dont understand well what the people are trying to say.

Pablo

 

[Billybeau1]

Pablo, thanks for trying to help. I understand. It's what makes the world go round.

 

[Monkeyfish]

The cheato can't hurt. I have it in all 3 of my FOWLRs. I just prune it whenever it starts to get too big.

 

[Billybeau1]

Monkeyfish, do you turn it over now and then or just leave it ?

 

[Monkeyfish]

I just leave it. Not the best way to use it (ideal would be in a refugium where it can roll around a bit) but I'm to lazy to be flipping a weed in my tank .

 

[dendro982]

My chaeto in the main tank has small pieces, floating around - into filter and powerhead grids too.

 

[Ironsheikh]

of course you can have it in the main tank --just leave it. only problems are emerald crabs will it ALL within a week, the little strands may fall, but they dont cause any problems

 

[mm949]

could get messy...cheato will attach to everything....i have grown it in a canister filter w/o light.....but u can do whatever u like....

 

[danorth]

I actually put some in 2 strawberry baskets ziptied together and ziptied it to the output line of my UV to keep it up by the light and not move around. It works as a feeder to the fish also! I tried the wedge trick and the triggers would pull it out and I had to clear out 3 powerheads!!! PITA.