Has anyone ever built a Chaeto reactor?

Fieryfrog · Mar 31, 2015

I found some Chaetor on the pad of my Carbon reactor, and it got me to thinking. Could I make a Chaeto reactor?

I would have to clean it out occasionally to get the gunk out and to make up for any growth, but that s no biggie. And if I use Black hosing so there isn't any algae growth in the lines, would this be a viable option for Chaeto use?

Has anyone ever done this, and I am just late to the party?

Reefing Madness · Mar 31, 2015

Hmm, interesting idea there. What or how would you get the correct light on it?

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

I light bar if you use a phosban 150 from two little fish that would be an awesome mini fug for nano tanks

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

Great idea

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

And the little critters wouldn't get all beat up going back into the tank

Shep · Mar 31, 2015

I feel like its a good idea but could get blocked up pretty quick, which could could lead to all kinds of trouble.

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

I don't think it would. The phos ban 150 has two red plates with holes in then that would stop the chaeto from clogging the inlet and outlet pipe and u think with regular maintenance it would work very well along with make a great place for pods to grow and be released in to the tank with out getting beat up by the pump I think I'm gonna try and make this with the spare 150 I have and see how well it works

4FordFamily · Mar 31, 2015

Shep said:
I feel like its a good idea but could get blocked up pretty quick, which could could lead to all kinds of trouble.

i agree

Fieryfrog · Mar 31, 2015

steventaylor702 said:
I light bar if you use a phosban 150 from two little fish that would be an awesome mini fug for nano tanks

I would be using the Phosban 150. I was thinking about building a holding unit from a 5 gallon bucket. And install two small light bars into the sides of the the bucket.

Shep · Mar 31, 2015

steventaylor702 said:
I don't think it would. The phos ban 150 has two red plates with holes in then that would stop the chaeto from clogging the inlet and outlet pipe and u think with regular maintenance it would work very well along with make a great place for pods to grow and be released in to the tank with out getting beat up by the pump I think I'm gonna try and make this with the spare 150 I have and see how well it works

The problem is the phos ban is buit to deal with something very different than chaeto algae. The very fine, long strands of the chaeto will be very difficult to stop from getting into places it should not be, also if something is built to grow chaeto algae it will also grow all kinds of algae. These other micro type algaes will be a huge problem because they can either slow the water flow way down or just stop it all together. I think you are right in the fact that regular maintenance would fix this but I feel it would have to be almost weekly.

Fieryfrog · Mar 31, 2015

Shep said:
I feel like its a good idea but could get blocked up pretty quick, which could could lead to all kinds of trouble.

If I maintain it every time I change the Carbon and GFO reactors, that should work well.

Dave3112 · Mar 31, 2015

Correct me if I'm wrong, but how will this export nutrients? The algae (cheato) uses the nutrients to GROW, thus exporting the excess nutrients. If it is in a reactor type of system how will this be accomplished?

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

By pulling the nutrients from the water while growing and then you manually trimming it once every couple of weeks just like you would with normal refugium

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

Any I have had chaeto get in to my reactor and grow if you use sponge pads they give you with the phosban I think it will contain it just fine the same way it stopped it from getting into the carbon area of my reactor

moulton712 · Mar 31, 2015

This can work, it's just easier to have a fuge. More set and forget.

steventaylor702 · Mar 31, 2015

Yes I completely agree except in a situation where you can't have fuge like in a sumpless nanotank

redfishbluefish · Mar 31, 2015

It's not actually a reactor but.........

I currently have caulerpa....and I made a caulerpa containment vessel out of egg crate and artist's stiff plastic canvas with zip ties.

But as you can see, the caulerpa is trying to escape. If it was made entirely of artist's canvas (which you can find at Walmart), it wouldn't be able to escape.

maroun.c · Mar 31, 2015

Interesting idea for sumpless setups. Maybe experimenting with custom size perforated plates to decide which size works best.

Dave3112 · Mar 31, 2015

redfishbluefish said:
It's not actually a reactor but.........

I currently have calupra....and I made a calupra containment vessel out of egg crate and artist's stiff plastic canvas with zip ties.

But as you can see, the calupra is trying to escape. If it was made entirely of artist's canvas (which you can find at Walmart), it wouldn't be able to escape.

Great idea like it is if you have a tang. It'll do the trimming for you!