Chaeto put to the test: Going beyond our expectations! (Part 1)

Pola0502ds · Mar 18, 2017

I have been using cheato in my system since i started, over a year ago now and i really feel that to newbie, cheato can be challanging. I have had zero nitrates and phosphates since i put the cheato in my tank and harvest a big bucket monthly. I think that sometimes it does too good of a job. It has only been until recently i have realized this and i am starting to play with running the skimmer less and less and trimming a lot more of the cheato so i have less mass to get the nutrients up. I have already been a heavy feeder because ive always had low nutrients and could never figure out why. I never have any algae in the main display, only small cyano patches here and there of which i don't understand. I think at the end of the test they are going to find out just how good of a job this stuff does and even maybe too good of a job.

Atif · Mar 18, 2017

I have chito from 8 month's but it did not grow so what can i do?? Douse any thing?? 24watt 6500k light 24/7.
Parameters
Phosphate. 0.03
Salinity.0 24
Temp 26 degree
Calc. 450
Mag. 1450
Any suggestions for me??

edosan · Mar 18, 2017

Great job guys! Too bad that I can not get anything from you, since you do not ship to my FF in Miami ( to Chile , I have try, win for MD) but I like your videos.

Txdragonslayer · Mar 18, 2017

Excellent video, thanks for excellent methodology. This is making me feel like the triton method may carry some weight, but would be curious about a similar test with other Algae along with the cheato, like the way triton suggests, if one algae is this efficient with the proper light, are different algae better?

Rjramos · Mar 18, 2017

Great work BRS and Randy!
I have been running refugiums with chaeto for many years. I also use mud in my refugiums. On my 120 gal, I am running a 15 gal refugium which is only 10" deep, so actually 22"x15" surface area exposed. My high rate of return from display is also split, so not all the returning water goes through refugium thus increasing contact time. I light 24/7 with a pair of 65w PC's, a bit outdated but I am in the process of changing to LED's.

Pictured above is about a months growth in the chaetosandwich alone, there is another large growing clump of chaeto on the right side of the refugium. This 120 has no nitrates, although the phosphates fluctuate between water changes, sometimes as high as 1. The fish and corals are fed 2 cubes of regular mysis and 1 of piscine mysis, skipping frozen foods every 3rd day and feeding nori and pellets on 3rd day. Water changes, 30 gal or app. 25% once per month.

Rick Mathew · Mar 18, 2017

Once again great job...appreciate your efforts to approach these questions using a scientific approach...very valuable to add to our knowledge base and not just have anecdotal information to go on!!

What is the brand of the blender you used to blend up the frozen food...thanks

infinityends · Mar 18, 2017

I'm curious about the Kessil light. I tried to run one on my tank. But the algae constantly browned out and died like it was being burned by the light.

I had it mounted about 6" off the water which looks like about the same distance BRS is using. As well as that chamber of my sumo has about 14" of Water depth. So I'm kind of curious about why I couldn't get cheato to survive in a very similar setup.

Caseyjp1 · Mar 18, 2017

Big fan of chaeto. This 40 breeder tank has been running with a DIY 10 gallon sump/refuge. 2 finnex lights, and a small protein skimmer. Numbers have been spot on for a reef for over a year even though I've kept this a FOWLR setup to date.
There are, as I understand it, different "strains" of chaeto, some performing better than others. The strain I'm using has to be harvested out every month or so as it grows so well that it literally reduces the flow causing the return pump to outperform the DIY 90 gph overflow. Pods and other stuff have been going nuts and I have to be honest, I find watching sump life almost more interesting than the display at times. Heh. I use a couple small live rocks in the front center section for pod 'housing', and this has caused that population to stay very high.

BobDale · Mar 18, 2017

I can't grow chaeto either. I dosed Vibrant a while ago. Is this a residual effect?

bif24701 · Mar 18, 2017

BobDale said:
I can't grow chaeto either. I dosed Vibrant a while ago. Is this a residual effect?

Yes, I am sure it is. My cheato thrived until I started Vibrant. That's ok to me because it killed all the bad algae and I used LC to removed the PO4.

revhtree · Mar 18, 2017

Love this test. I just added some Chaeto to my refugium but I may need to reconsider my bulb choice....

bif24701 · Mar 18, 2017

revhtree said:
Love this test. I just added some Chaeto to my refugium but I may need to reconsider my bulb choice....

Why? Explain

revhtree · Mar 18, 2017

bif24701 said:
Why? Explain

Lol it was kinda tongue in cheek because of the hair algae part in the video.

bif24701 · Mar 18, 2017

revhtree said:
Lol it was kinda tongue in cheek because of the hair algae part in the video.

That's not a problem, just put it in a blender and add it back into the sump, lol.

revhtree · Mar 18, 2017

bif24701 said:
That's not a problem, just put it in a blender and add it back into the sump, lol.

Haha! I couldn't do it!

nitro · Mar 18, 2017

Some of the best information and the coolest reading on reeling out there.
Please keep it going I have learned a lot, saved some cash and I really enjoy the process. I will be definitely follow along.

Fishlee · Mar 18, 2017

Caseyjp1 said:
Big fan of chaeto. This 40 breeder tank has been running with a DIY 10 gallon sump/refuge. 2 finnex lights, and a small protein skimmer. Numbers have been spot on for a reef for over a year even though I've kept this a FOWLR setup to date.
There are, as I understand it, different "strains" of chaeto, some performing better than others. The strain I'm using has to be harvested out every month or so as it grows so well that it literally reduces the flow causing the return pump to outperform the DIY 90 gph overflow. Pods and other stuff have been going nuts and I have to be honest, I find watching sump life almost more interesting than the display at times. Heh. I use a couple small live rocks in the front center section for pod 'housing', and this has caused that population to stay very high.

What strain do you have? I only know of the thick kind and be thin kind (almost hair thin)

MickMurray · Mar 18, 2017

Newbie question: how does one "follow" a thread? Thanks.

Monkeytank · Mar 18, 2017

Can you make a video that is nothing but just pronouncing everything in this hobby? I've been calling this stuff "Chato", not "Kato". I have no idea how to say the names of any of the corals right. Oh, and for the scientists naming corals and fish, Latin is for losers!