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

[Macdaddynick1]

The only thing this test shows is a (refugium) that is 25 gallons with a massive amount of chaeto reduces 1 cube of food, and applying this test results to a working aquarium is faulty at best. This test is only misleading and not really applicable to ANY standard aquarium setup. The test was to determine if a refugium would be a practical filter system. This test in no way even addresses this.

The test should have been setting up an ACTUAL tank, (typical size) with ACTUAL animal life (typical stock), with a typical sump with a typical refugium chamber size found in most sumps, and chaeto amount applicable to the chamber, and then test the water quality over time. While interesting, this test is all but useless for a realistic tank application.

The test parameters and the controls need to be similar and applicable to the environment you are testing for, not just making up a test that really has no application to a typical reef/aquarium setup.

That's an extra cube of food daily +ph boost at worst. Meaning all else being equal, you can feed your tank more.

 

[shiftline]

All right guys Im now 15 days into my Chaetomorpha refugium in my sump.

I just shot a quick video for a 2 week update that I thought I would share. I'm simply amazed at how well this stuff grows.. but if your going to do it.. do it right!

Thanks again BRS for the inspiration to give it a go again!

 

[bif24701]

All right guys Im now 15 days into my Chaetomorpha refugium in my sump.

I just shot a quick video for a 2 week update that I thought I would share. I'm simply amazed at how well this stuff grows.. but if your going to do it.. do it right!

Thanks again BRS for the inspiration to give it a go again!

My cheato has always done very well with Home Depot bulbs. The last one was a 5500K LED PAR38 and did great.

I'm excited however to see how well this new 24watt LED grow bulb will do.

 

[rabbithazen]

All right guys Im now 15 days into my Chaetomorpha refugium in my sump.

I just shot a quick video for a 2 week update that I thought I would share. I'm simply amazed at how well this stuff grows.. but if your going to do it.. do it right!

Thanks again BRS for the inspiration to give it a go again!

What wattage grow light is that?

 

[shiftline]

It's 90watts. (It's and evergrow nova s2). I talk a bit more about it in the 1 week update video

 

[ReeferSurf]

For the next evolution of this test, we are looking at setting up fully functional reef tanks where we can see the chaeto effect in a real world scenario. This should include regular water changes as well. I'm not sure if we would add another variable to the chaeto other than just food alone, but I can add it to the board of ideas! ;-)

-Randy

This be awesome, my 70gal dt is at 0.03 to 0.40 phosphate depending on feeding, not running reactor so wondering if a cheato reactor would reduce phosphate to the lower end of my phosphate range

Can't wait for the next videos!

Like always, thanks for the video. I've watched nearly all your non bias videos and so much to learn.

Thanks again BRS

 

[randyBRS]

This be awesome, my 70gal dt is at 0.03 to 0.40 phosphate depending on feeding, not running reactor so wondering if a cheato reactor would reduce phosphate to the lower end of my phosphate range
Can't wait for the next videos!
Like always, thanks for the video. I've watched nearly all your non bias videos and so much to learn.
Thanks again BRS

Thanks! I can't wait for the next phase of this test! From what I've heard/previewed, it is going to be pretty awesome.

We do have a test on the board for ATS's and I awhile back I asked if we could include these newer algae reactors. I'm really hoping we can get that one off the ground as well!

-Randy

 

[shiftline]

I'm excited for the new video as well! Keep it up Randy!

A few notes I noticed in my testing. I have fully turned off the GFO as the chaeto had kept phosphates at 0. After harvesting the mass of alage from the 3 weeks my PH dropped as there was no longer the big ball sucking up co2

Now do you thing there is any benefit to putting in a powerheads and keeping the chaeto spinning vs just floating in there

So far so good! I'm curious to see how the ATS compares now

 

[randyBRS]

I'm excited for the new video as well! Keep it up Randy!
A few notes I noticed in my testing. I have fully turned off the GFO as the chaeto had kept phosphates at 0. After harvesting the mass of alage from the 3 weeks my PH dropped as there was no longer the big ball sucking up co2 Now do you thing there is any benefit to putting in a powerheads and keeping the chaeto spinning vs just floating in there
So far so good! I'm curious to see how the ATS compares now

I wouldn't be surprised if flow through the ball of chaeto has some positive effect to it's growth. The BRS160 chaeto is FAR to big to even spin any more and it is doing very well from top to bottom. We do still have the powerhead in there that once spun the original ball.

-Randy

 

[shiftline]

I'm going to test the flow theory... I'm waiting for some parts to fix and old gyre style pump that's going into the chaeto chamber in the sump

 

[tigé21v]

Does cheato grow from both ends? (If that makes sense)
Here's a question that probably doesn't have an answer... Is there a recommended flow for cheato (as in "x" times system volume trunover). Or, I guess in my case, is there a minimum recommended flow?

 

[bif24701]

Does cheato grow from both ends?
Here's a question that probably doesn't have an answer... Is there a recommended flow for cheato (as in "x" times system volume trunover). Or, I guess in my case, is there a minimum recommended flow?

I think it grows from everywhere.

No minimum, may have too much flow because contact time is needed.

 

[melev]

Very interesting test. I didn't hear it (I may have missed it) but how long is the light cycle each day for these refugiums?

 

[bif24701]

Very interesting test. I didn't hear it (I may have missed it) but how long is the light cycle each day for these refugiums?

12/12, the question was asked on YouTube.

 

[ReefingwithO]

How many hours per day did they run the lights in this test? I'm trying to mimic these results on my tank.

 

[Damon]

And just to show, these lights do the same on a scrubber.. I'm running a 300 watt above my scrubber.. I'm able to manage the nitrate level(and the growth between the scrubber and the cheato) by the hours I have the lights on between my cheato and the scrubber..

I overdid the scrubber for a little bit, but upping the hours by 3 hours . But I am going to turn it down to get both the cheato growing again, and some nitrate into the system.. It should only take a couple of weeks to see the results..

However, no algea is in the display of course..

 

[Monkeynaut]

Where did BRS buy the Chaeto? An online source?

 

[Dennco2000]

Thanks for all the hard work. I know this type of research is very time consuming in addition to your daily job duties.
I had been searching the web for info pertaining to this but could not find anything nearly this extensive and in such controlled environments.
I use the fuge2 medium on a 65 tall salt... Works great and grows chaeto like crazy with a small aqueon 36 LED light so now Im thinking about replacing it with the Kessil a80 tuna.
As for results 3 months after adding the fuge and micro algae the Ni/Na nothing zero. Phos runs 0.02 but I also run phosguard but very little. Prior to this Na was always about 5.0.

Thanks again Dennis
I will continue to follow.....

 

[Deniss]

This be awesome, my 70gal dt is at 0.03 to 0.40 phosphate depending on feeding, not running reactor so wondering if a cheato reactor would reduce phosphate to the lower end of my phosphate range

Can't wait for the next videos!

Like always, thanks for the video. I've watched nearly all your non bias videos and so much to learn.

Thanks again BRS

I have a chaeto reactor running for 2 weeks, and it got my phosphate and nitrate to unreadable value's. It's crazy how much light you can blast in the reactor with a simple led strip.
So far i'm really happy with the reactor.

 

[randyBRS]

Where did BRS buy the Chaeto? An online source?

Hmmm.... It's been so long ago! All the Chaeto in these tests came from the BRS160. The BRS160 Chaeto ball came from the Clownfish Harem tank. And the Clownfish Harem tank Chaeto came from.... After this many years no one really remembers.

Personally, I have bought macro algae before from fellow hobbyists on forums just like these as well as from fellow local reefers!

-Randy