Where to get clean chaeto?

[10" Red Devil]

I have noticed all the places around me that carry Chaeto have a few problems in the tanks that they carry it in which include: Dinoflagelletes, Cyano, Aiptasia, etc.

I was wondering if it is possible to buy it online from a source that takes care of the water they keep it in. Or maybe there is a procedure for dipping it in something to kill off unwanted pests?

I mainly want the chaeto for the po4/nitrate soaking properties in the water. I do not care so much about getting more pods, etc.

Thanks!

 

[graveyardworm]

Dinoflaggelates, and cyano are in your tank too, the conditions may just be poor for them to compete. You would be safe to buy some cheato with that on it and give it a good swish in a seperate container before placing it in your tank. The aiptasia is another story but nothing that cant be overcome easily in a QT tank.

 

[10" Red Devil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10875134#post10875134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Dinoflaggelates, and cyano are in your tank too, the conditions may just be poor for them to compete. You would be safe to buy some cheato with that on it and give it a good swish in a seperate container before placing it in your tank. The aiptasia is another story but nothing that cant be overcome easily in a QT tank.

Well the other thing I worry about is strains of other nuisance algae getting in the tank. The stores have all kinds of pest macro algae in their systems as well. I had a bad experience with a strain once, I do not intend to repeat.

 

[K' Family Reef]

I would encourage u to qt even any macro prior to adding to ur system

igot flatworms this way

regards

 

[soulbabel]

I have no idea how well this actually worked for me, but I had some chaeto that was covered in diatoms and I left it outside in a 5 gallon bucket of clean saltwater for about 3 weeks. I changed the water only once about midway through. Only a little bit of chaeto died off, but it seemed to be getting enough sunlight to stay alive while everything else in the bucket died off. So far it's looked healthy after adding it to my tank last week, but then again it might be too soon for me to say anything postive.

 

[soulbabel]

Ok, so what I said doesn't work out too well, as I'm seeing the diatoms starting to come back.

 

[ziggy222]

i just use my garden hose on full blast to blow all the dirt out of the chaetto when it gets dirty or if anything unwanted gets in it.i looked it over when i 1st got it and there was aiptasia in it.i just through that part away.i keep my chaetto very clean and healthy this way.

 

[lancer99]

This worked for me

This worked for me

1) Carefully inspect the chaeto for any dino spores.

2) Drain all water from the chaeto.

3) Pick anything smaller than your pinky nail off, and flush it down the toilet.

4) Cook it for 2 minutes on high in the microwave.

5) Buy some more chaeto.

 

[lancer99]

This worked for me

This worked for me

1) Carefully inspect the chaeto for any dino spores.

2) Drain all water from the chaeto.

3) Pick anything smaller than your pinky nail off, and flush it down the toilet.

4) Cook it for 2 minutes on high in the microwave.

5) Buy some more chaeto.

 

[sam75]

Rinse it for several minutes with tap water (or blast it with the garden hose like ziggy said) then shake it out. Between the chlorine, water pressure and freshwater you'll get rid of most hitch hickers and it doesn't really hurt the chaeto. I clean mine this way every few weeks. As other have mentioned dinos and cyno are probably already in your tank in small amounts. It's managing nutreints to keep them in check that's key.