Cheato loose strands keep coming into DT

[Visuals]

I got 1 cup of cheato in a media basket in my 40g AIO, but I keep getting loose strands of it into the DT. And when I examine the cheato, it pretty short strands too. Is this normal? I have a refugium light on for about 6hrs.

Thanks

 

[PeterC99]

Chaeto should be bright green, long strands, and grow into a thick mesh.

Refugiun lighting should be opposite aquarium lighting.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

I got 1 cup of cheato in a media basket in my 40g AIO, but I keep getting loose strands of it into the DT. And when I examine the cheato, it pretty short strands too. Is this normal? I have a refugium light on for about 6hrs.

Thanks

Do you have pictures of it? What kind of light do you have over the media basket?

 

[Dan_P]

I got 1 cup of cheato in a media basket in my 40g AIO, but I keep getting loose strands of it into the DT. And when I examine the cheato, it pretty short strands too. Is this normal? I have a refugium light on for about 6hrs.

Thanks

Healthy macro algae does not fall apart easily.

Six hours of light seems a bit too stingy. While you might have heard all sorts of advice on light/dark cycles, 12/12 is close to normal for plants. Some algae species will tolerate large deviations, others will not. Unless you have the facts, stay close to 12/12.

 

[Mooneyhan22]

My cheato falls apart on me if I change too much GFO all at once. It bottoms out the phosphates and causes it to struggle. Usually a week later it bounces back. Just something I have noticed with my maintenance cycles FWIW.

 

[PeterC99]

My cheato falls apart on me if I change too much GFO all at once. It bottoms out the phosphates and causes it to struggle. Usually a week later it bounces back. Just something I have noticed with my maintenance cycles FWIW.

Great insight!

 

[Goodair]

What do you have that's between the cheeto and your display, pads, baffles, net, etc.

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Quick question, I am using Cheato in my AIO using Innovative Marine LED 9watt refugium light. Are there two variants of cheato, hard and then soft?

I picked up this last bunch of cheato that felt really like literally a bathroom scubber for the body, very brittle and strong to the touch as opposed to the soft cheato that grows and then gets to a point that it starts to melt and then I have to change out for a new cheato.

But this one I got for the first time is dark green and well, like I described it, has others had this type?

 

[BiggestE222]

My cheato falls apart on me if I change too much GFO all at once. It bottoms out the phosphates and causes it to struggle. Usually a week later it bounces back. Just something I have noticed with my maintenance cycles FWIW.

Why use GFO and Chaeto?

 

[Micro-Reefs Aquarium]

Why use GFO and Chaeto?

Very true, I was doing too many water changes my LFS said choose one or the other. Do water changes or grow out cheato.

I opted to grow out my cheato and add Neo Phos to help me balance out my phosphate.

After one week of testing and feeding I found out my cheato consumptuon to keep me at .02-.04 phosphate.

 

[Mooneyhan22]

Why use GFO and Chaeto?

It’s a Biocube. Refugium isn’t big enough to sustain on its own.