Does Chato need to spin?

[Steverd]

I have about a baseball size clump of Chato in my refugium.
It just lays there, does it need to spin to stay alive and healthy?
Should I just reach in and rotate it daily?

If it should be spinning can you recommend what I need to do this in this sump?

Thank you

 

[Crabs McJones]

I've found that trying to get chaeto to spin is sort of an loosing battle, once it gets to big it stops spinning anyway or it gets caught on something and stops spinning. Best bet is if you have a side that isn't getting enough light to flip it every week or two. But if your light is strong enough you dont have to flip it at all

 

[cracker]

Same with me I even have a larger maxijet in the ref. blowing water across the bottom if the ball is small enough it spins It doesn't have to spin but it looks cool ! LOL

 

[David's Reef]

When i used to run one it was hard to get it tumble/spin at all times..it didnt have any problem growing either.

 

[pickupman66]

Naw. I pull a gallon zippie from mine about once a month. I turn it over weekly and I have a ton of it. Mine seems just fine

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No spin. It does need flow though. Even slow laminar flow works just fine.

 

[pickupman66]

That's what I have basically. Water from the bubble break baffles comes into the fuge and exits thru holes in the next baffle to the pump. It's dark green top to bottom. Sometimes top will turn white if I leave it too long.

 

[ca1ore]

The argument in favor of ‘spinning’ is that a larger percentage of the chaeto clump gets exposed to the light. Otherwise the lower sections can wither and die. The other option, which is what I do, is to have a slightly elevated sump and light the chaeto from below as well.

 

[hart24601]

Just flip it once a week or so. I don't think I have ever had chaeto spin and have used it for at least a decade!

 

[cracker]

I do notice that when mine spins, it is a nice uniform green thru out . I keep my chaeto fairly small as I have low nutrient issues.

 

[mfinn]

While it's nearly impossible to keep it spinning long term, I've found in my refugium it grows better if there is a strong current.
My flow through the sump isn't that fast so I use a small tunze powerhead to add the flow.

 

[Burrito]

i have the same sump as you and when my cheato was small i had the same concern, i think it wont spin in our trigger sump because of how the water enters the 2nd chamber. that said, its a bit pointless anyway since it will grow and be impossible to spin anyway. i started with a golfball and have a kessil h120 over the fuge section, the entire chamber filled in less than a month and i just turn it with a turkey baster every couple days.