Chaeto - When To Add
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Brew12
Electrical Gru
My personal opinion is that it is best to add after you verify your tank can properly process ammonia but prior to adding fish/CuC.
JBKReef
Valuable Member
I would say it depends on how you're cycling. Dry rock and bacteria starter? Fish in cycle? Live rock?
I would say depending on the amount of ammonia going to be present (die off from live rock or fish waste vs artificial dosing) would drive how early it can be added.
I would say depending on the amount of ammonia going to be present (die off from live rock or fish waste vs artificial dosing) would drive how early it can be added.
JBKReef
Valuable Member
Thats what I was curious about, using live rock and a slow cycle to build up the bacteria would be fine with chaeto however with using the bacteria and then dosing occasionally up to 1 or 2PPM of ammonia might not be the best circumstances for appropriate growth.
I started out with Biospira and then went into the red sea reef mature kit... I waited till after I was done dosing the "ammonia" additive to add chaeto.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
The main reason you don't want to add Cheato right now is that it will directly pull ammonia out of the water. You want to make sure it is the bacteria consuming the ammonia.
I like to add it right before adding fish because it provides a little extra cushion in case you overfeed a few times. That extra ammonia reduction capacity can be your friend.
GSPClown94
Active Member
Also any copepods and other beneficial life that is hiding in the chaeto could die off if you introduce it while the aquarium is cycling.
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This is a great question and one I have been wondering about too. I didn't realize that chaeto will consume ammonia too. I went with an H80 instead of the h380 and am a little worried my chaeto refugium won't "out compete" the display to limit algae growth. One possible solution I thought would be to get the Chaeto growing and taking up the phosphate and nitrate before I start lighting up the tank. This way once I start lighting the tank the chaeto will already have a "foot hold" on the nutrients and hopefully keep algae at bay. I did not consider it would interfere with the cycling though. Maybe, once you start reading 0 ammonia and nitrite and are getting some nitrate readings (after dosing your ammonia), you could start up the chaeto? This could then still be in a time period prior to lighting the tank and adding corals, but not interfere with your cycle?
Big G
captain dunsel
Adding chaeto after the aquarium has finished the ammonia (drops to zero) - nitrite (drops to zero) - nitrate is very high and you do water changes to get it down to the 20ish range. Then add chaeto. But you may find as the tanks continues to mature, you may experience algae blooms in your sump that may out compete your chaeto's ability to take up nutrients. If you do get a coating of algae on your chaeto, you can do your best to clean it occasionally. But sometimes you just need to toss it out and start fresh. Been there; done that. 
Big G
captain dunsel
Try a bit of Sea Lettuce with the chaeto. Algae Barn is the best! Oh and get a few of their cerith snails to put in there as well.
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Sounds like a plan! I think I will do the same once I get to that point. Good luck!
cccharliecc
Well-Known Member
Do you recommed the 5280 package as well to start? comes with copepods and phyto.Try a bit of Sea Lettuce with the chaeto. Algae Barn is the best! Oh and get a few of their cerith snails to put in there as well.
Big G
captain dunsel
Highly recommend the 5280 package with phytoplankton. Look into adding some Marinepure blocks, balls, etc. to provide a home for the pods in addition to them hanging out in the chaeto.
reefndude
Valuable Member
I started my current tank with chaeto and maybe a 2 lb. piece of live rock. Both from old tank. Did nothing else and it managed to go through a normal cycle process. Reason I went this route is because my old tank crashed literally the day I was going to transfer to new tank. I was devastated and was not feeling it so just threw the chaeto into the sump. I'm not sure if I would of continued in the hobby if new tank wasn't up and running.
Anyways I was surprised the tank cycled and is now running strong. I am glad I stuck with it
Anyways I was surprised the tank cycled and is now running strong. I am glad I stuck with it
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
IMHO start the tank with chaeto then do the rest.
Chaeto will consume ammonia first then nitrates for nitrogen. So it is possible the chaeto will prevent the ammonia spike. Then as the bacteria build up and consumes the ammonia, the chaeto will "switch" to nitrates for nitrogen.
my .02
Chaeto will consume ammonia first then nitrates for nitrogen. So it is possible the chaeto will prevent the ammonia spike. Then as the bacteria build up and consumes the ammonia, the chaeto will "switch" to nitrates for nitrogen.
my .02
I agree with beaslbob.
What difference does it make adding it later? The result will still be the same - chaeto will compete with bacteria for ammonia/nitrates. If anything you are prolonging your tank cycle by adding it later therefore taking even more time to stabilise.
What difference does it make adding it later? The result will still be the same - chaeto will compete with bacteria for ammonia/nitrates. If anything you are prolonging your tank cycle by adding it later therefore taking even more time to stabilise.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
The reason I recommend waiting is that bacteria are more stable than Chaeto. If you let your bacteria get established first, the macro algae can act like an insurance policy giving you a little bit of a buffer. If you start by relying on the macro algae, and it dies, you and your fish are out of luck. So for me, its bacteria, then algae, then CuC, then fish.
Big G
captain dunsel
You may want to consider qt ing your chaeto. Here's a link with something to ponder:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-for-chaeto.327894/#post-4066719
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-for-chaeto.327894/#post-4066719
