EVO 13 - Chaeto in chamber 1 vs floss?

[emmysnewtank]

Has anyone put chaeto in chamber 1 top basket instead of filter floss? I am thinking maybe I can just put a little macro in there as much for copepod home as for nutrient export.

That way my it gets hit with overhead light rather than a separate fuge light...and it gets constant flow from water. Maybe put floss in media bask below? or even floss below the chaeto?

I haven't read of anyone trying this...maybe for a reason?

 

[ninjamyst]

I tried it in my fluval 13.5. Even added a fuge light in the back. Without fuge light, chaeto won't get enough light. But it ended up being a disaster. Chaeto is messy and tiny strands get everywhere. It also collects tons of detritus. For such a small tank, it will have no effect on nutrient export. Pods will grow anywhere.

 

[olonmv]

Innovative marine cheato light mounted to chamber 2 is what I’m running. Chamber 1 is mechanical filtration and 3 houses my heater.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I agree with the above. Chaeto is hard/messy to grow in a main tank especially in the back chamber of an AIO.

 

[olonmv]

I tried it in my fluval 13.5. Even added a fuge light in the back. Without fuge light, chaeto won't get enough light. But it ended up being a disaster. Chaeto is messy and tiny strands get everywhere. It also collects tons of detritus. For such a small tank, it will have no effect on nutrient export. Pods will grow anywhere.

Although I agree that it probably won’t do a whole lot for nutrient export, it does house pods nicely and it’s true pods are everywhere also but, it also helps with Ph. It’s also not that messy when housed in one of the rear chambers but it must be lit. I have mine on an 8hr schedule from 12:00am-8:00am. For nutrient reduction, I’m running a denitrator. It works wonderfully.

 

[emmysnewtank]

I can’t run fuge light at night since tank is in a bedroom. Light spill from overhead not enough if chaeto sitting on top of 1st media basket?

 

[olonmv]

The fuge light emits very little light out and is red so it isn’t very intrusive at night.

 

[Hairyteeth]

The fuge light emits very little light out and is red so it isn’t very intrusive at night.

And in the second chamber you can cover the back panel with something dark to get almost 0 light bleed…
You’ll want to go second chamber after mechanical filtration other wise your algae will get real gross