Chaeto in QT?

[CJWilliams]

Random question. Just set up the QT again (this time just to put some liverock pieces in to catch hitchhikers before moving them to the DT). I used tank water from the DT so it wasn’t clean water. I previously had some bad algae issues (either diatoms or cyano) during a quarantine. This time I had filter media in a dark place of the sump for a couple months and moved it over. I still had algae issues.

My question is, would adding a handful of chaeto in the QT tank help bring nutrients down to mitigate algae growth? Are there any downsides I don’t know about? Such as absorbing copper or something? This would be harvested chaeto that would be trashed after QT.

Thanks!

 

[Dan_P]

Random question. Just set up the QT again (this time just to put some liverock pieces in to catch hitchhikers before moving them to the DT). I used tank water from the DT so it wasn’t clean water. I previously had some bad algae issues (either diatoms or cyano) during a quarantine. This time I had filter media in a dark place of the sump for a couple months and moved it over. I still had algae issues.

My question is, would adding a handful of chaeto in the QT tank help bring nutrients down to mitigate algae growth? Are there any downsides I don’t know about? Such as absorbing copper or something? This would be harvested chaeto that would be trashed after QT.

Thanks!

Exposure to copper might harm the Chaeto. A quit internet search should inform you about the risks.

Water changes might be a better way to deal with waste removal.

 

[CJWilliams]

Harming the chaeto isn't a concern for me. This would be the extra that I harvest out of the refugium on the main tank. It would just be going in the trash anyways.

I do perform water changes during QT, but still really battle algae.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Random question. Just set up the QT again (this time just to put some liverock pieces in to catch hitchhikers before moving them to the DT). I used tank water from the DT so it wasn’t clean water. I previously had some bad algae issues (either diatoms or cyano) during a quarantine. This time I had filter media in a dark place of the sump for a couple months and moved it over. I still had algae issues.

My question is, would adding a handful of chaeto in the QT tank help bring nutrients down to mitigate algae growth? Are there any downsides I don’t know about? Such as absorbing copper or something? This would be harvested chaeto that would be trashed after QT.

Thanks!

A better way to control algae in quarantine tanks is to limit the light. The fish in these only need enough light to see their food by. In many of my large quarantine systems, I only use the ambient room light and there is literally no algae in them.

Jay