DT chaeto Idea

Fatrob164

Fatrob164

New member
I don't have the room for a sump so I use a canister filter but have wanted to add chaeto to the display tank. I read about hamster balls and hiding it behind live rock. But didn't like those ideas. I came up with the idea of using a specimen box drilling holes in it and placing it inside. Doesn't look too unsightly and makes for a conversation piece. I was thinking about painting it black then puting a light above it. So it would have opposite lighting. It does get a lot of flow in there and rolls.
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Honestly chaeto is more of a pain than its worth 90% of the time. It sounds cool, it doesn't really work as " advertised".
 
You need a lot of it , a lot of surface area and a lot of light for any significant effect on PO4 levels.
 
Hmm yeah I only had a little in there from my other tank. Was planning on a softball size amount. Any suggestions on a macro algae that would work better in my setup?
 
Some say cauolerpa takes out a bit more but it's invasive and can easily sporulate leaving a milky mess and some toxins too. Chaeto is about as good as it gets but it needs to be contained since bits and pieces breakoff and get in the tank easily and are unsightly. Doesn't really need to tumble ,just needs nutrients water to pass through it. Your idea is ok .You'll needto harvest it regularly to give it room to grow and at that amount it will help CO2 reduction. O2 production and PO4 reduction but not very much.

I run a 32 gallon bin full of it on my system on opposite photo period. Provides a nice habitat for some pods and such too. Even then it barely dent's nutrients.
 
Theres always room for a sump. I didnt have room under tank so I modified a cabinet and put it next to my tank. Plumbing is gonna go down back of tank and to the left to get to cabinet(plumbing in the works). Would post a pic but my girlfriend is asleep in my room and I don't wanna turn on lights. from the look of it you wouldn't even know I have a sump. It matches stand too.
 
kewl idea but...... let us know how it works out in the long haul :)

I agree that this isn't a worthwhile endeavor HOWEVER learning by doing is the best way to get educated.
 
By all means try it. Countless reasons to run a reef. None of them are wrong. It's an invasive weed. Pods and poop will gravitate towards it. Just don't believe that it will help your tank in a tangible way. Its very simliar to planting dandelions in a vegetable garden and expecting improvement.
 
block head said:
Honestly chaeto is more of a pain than its worth 90% of the time. It sounds cool, it doesn't really work as " advertised".
Click to expand...

I agree, I had some in my sump for a while and recently got rid of it. There was much more detrus, i needed an additional powerhead to turn the water, along with a cyano problem. After removing it, my sump is cleaner no more coraline on my equipment and my DT looks better. Not to mention no more loose chaeto floating around.
 
I agree with Gary that the best way to learn is by trying things. I'm always trying things and learning from my many failed experiments. Chaeto will end up in your display which can be a pain to weed out.

I noticed there's a snowflake eel hiding under your rock. They're notorious escape artists so you'll need to completely close off the tank. You can use egg crate if the eel isn't small enough to slip through it. I had one in my first tank and it escaped through a HOB filter. A lot of eels go from tide pool to tide pool in the wild so it's natural for them to crawl out.

TMZ is running a nice soft coral tank using a canister filter. It's much easier to use a sump but that shows it can be done. Ironically it seems like only very experienced aquarists can run a system on what could be called entry level equipment. Take a look at TMZ's new puddle pictures thread in this forum and go to the second page to see the softie tank.

I'd still suggest a sump though. Even a 10 gallon tank can fit a nice skimmer and a little more equipment. It's easier to set up than fighting algae with high nutrients.

Good luck with the tank. It's looking good so far.
 
You are welcom.

BTW, It works better for me in a bare bottom refugium. No sand to collect the exudate.
 
I love all the feedback! The wholes on the container seem to be small enough to let flow thru and not let the small pieces slip out. My top is completely closed off for my eel friend I had one a few years ago that thought it was fun to slip into the hob filter haha The levels on the tank are fine was mainly puting it in there for pods and am adding fish so was thinking it will help a little :)
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I got it at Carribean forest last summer but haven't seen one since then I really liked him and was a character for sure. Here is an old pic of him.

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