Tips for successful refugium.

[vikubz]

I have a 29 gal with a 20 gal long for a sump. The sump is divided into 3 sections, and I want to add some chaeto to the middle section. I am using a mag7 for a return, and estimate the system has a 300 gph flow, and I also have a small powerhead in the middle section to make sure no detritus settles.

I plan to use a CF daylight bulb from Lowe's which is 29 watts, and is 6500k.

There will be no LS or LR, just chaeto.

Do I need to anything to make sure the chaeto stays put, like a screen or something to make sure pieces of chaeto don't get sent up to the display tank?


Thanks,
Mark

 

[Krish]

I've never used chaeto before, but you may need to anchor a ball of it to a small rock just to be safe. I'm not sure if the stuff breaks off easily, but if not and you have a bubble trap after the refugium section, then I can't see a big ball of chaeto getting through the bubble trap and into the return chamber so you may be ok without anchoring it, if like I said, it doesn't break off easily. Just a thought...

 

[Anthony Calfo]

there is a nice refugium thread that features Chaetomorpha listed in my "fav links" sticky atop this forum (please do check it out under "discussions").

but in short, my advice is to please try to adjust your water flow to get your Chaeto as ball shaped and tumbling for optimal growth, health and vigor (see tips in the thread for doing this).

Minimum of 5 watts per gallon of warm daylight here (10 watts per gallon would be much better). Weekly water changes to dilute and replenish elements of water quality that are bad and good respectively.

 

[zenn]

in regards to cheato, i've heard it said before that you need to keep it trimmed up in order for it not to start dying off or chocking itself and releasing nitrates back into the system. Obviously, you need to trim it back because that's how you export the nitrates, but I don't know what's a safe amount to have and when one should be concerned that nitrates might be released back into the system if you don't cut it?

The reason I ask is, if i'm running a refugium with chaeto as my only macro algae...i want the chaeto to take up the majority of the fuge so it sucks up nitrates faster. I know there are other macro algaes out there but I'm speaking about only running chaeto in the fuge. IS it a good idea to do this or should you have a repertoir of macros in there?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Chaeto is actually very stable but it is nonetheless (like all algae/fuge material) in need of systematic harvest for best healt, vigor and growth.

And please keep only one species... no exceptions! They are extremely chemically noxious to each other.