Adding Chaeto to new tank?

[Scottrshoe]

Just received an order of Chaeto for my HOB refugium. Being as this is a new tank with only a dotty back and a fireshrimp in it, How long should I run the refugium light to keep the Chaeto alive, but not bottom out my nutrients?

I probably do not even need the chaeto yet, but I also got copapods in the same order, and want to get them established in the tank and fuge before the predation level gets higher.

would 2-3 hours of light be enogh to keep the chaeto alive without growing out of control and sucking all the nutrients out of my tank?

 

[Uncle99]

I’d skip the macro algae until nitrates become an issue.

 

[shakacuz]

I’d skip the macro algae until nitrates become an issue.

agreed

 

[Scottrshoe]

I’d skip the macro algae until nitrates become an issue.

I hear you, I really do...but I don't have a way to keep the Chaeto alive in the meantime...no local source and had to pay for "live shiping" to get it here...added it on to my pod order.

 

[Uncle99]

I hear you, I really do...but I don't have a way to keep the Chaeto alive in the meantime...no local source and had to pay for "live shiping" to get it here...added it on to my pod order.

Can you put that in a bucket, tiny flow, cheap light.
Doesn’t need much maintenance.

Or you can test it’s impact on nitrates after cycle, it’s an HOB so I am assuming it’s relatively small and may have little impact on at this early stage.

 

[Scottrshoe]

Can you put that in a bucket, tiny flow, cheap light.
Doesn’t need much maintenance.

Or you can test it’s impact on nitrates after cycle, it’s an HOB so I am assuming it’s relatively small and may have little impact on at this early stage.

Tank is cycled, only small bio load with just one fish so far. The HOB fuge is pretty small, I will see what happens...lol. Probably only light it for 3 hours a day and check on it, and test water...only about 5ppm nitrates right now, and 0 PO4. Not running any other filtration at the moment though, save for some filter floss for mechanical.

 

[Uncle99]

Tank is cycled, only small bio load with just one fish so far. The HOB fuge is pretty small, I will see what happens...lol. Probably only light it for 3 hours a day and check on it, and test water...only about 5ppm nitrates right now, and 0 PO4. Not running any other filtration at the moment though, save for some filter floss for mechanical.

I think that will work great!
You gotta bump that phosphate number, zero brings Dinos and Cyanos.
Good luck.

 

[MaxTremors]

I wouldn’t light it for less than 4 hours a day. If you start bottoming out, you can feed more, or prune the chaeto back.

 

[Scottrshoe]

I wouldn’t light it for less than 4 hours a day. If you start bottoming out, you can feed more, or prune the chaeto back.

Thanks!