Jaylivi1212
Active Member
What are the benefits of adding a chaeto reactor and when should I possibly add one
Microalgea reactor
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shaggydoo
Active Member
I think chaeto benefits all tanks more than we know. Its the only filtration (with carbon) I have ever run on my 6+ years of actively having a tank. Its worked for me on a 18g (hang on back mini-refuge), 120g and 60g in sump in a refuge. I've never used a reactor, because I've always had a refuge, but I light 24/7 to maintain PH, outcompete algae in the main tank, and provide a bit of live food for my inhabitants. I don't see how you can go wrong with a refuge or reactor, and I would start one as soon as you have life in the tank.
Wankell
Active Member
I was thinking of adding one to my 20g in the back chamber, my friend also suggested a mangrove, im torn which one to do.
I have also come across people saying its useless on a small tank, but I think most of them are misinformed.
shaggydoo
Active Member
Yeah, I can say from experience it is not useless in a smaller tank. I had an aquaclear HOB filter and removed all media except chaeto and a light over it. Ran for a couple years and honestly the chaeto grew better in my small tank than in my last 120g... its growing about the same in my current 60g.
I would stay with chaeto as it grows like madness (given the right conditions) and is easy to aquire.
I would stay with chaeto as it grows like madness (given the right conditions) and is easy to aquire.
Jaylivi1212
Active Member
So quick question when you’re plumbing it or ...... You have an intake but where do you put the output?
shaggydoo
Active Member
On my 18g I just ran it like normal but with chaeto instead of all the filter media a HOB filter comes with, so no plumbing necessary. In my larger tanks, I've just had a refuge as part of my sump area, so again no plumbing. On my next tank, I will be creating one like a HOB where I'll pump water up to it and let gravity feed it back into my system, I think that is the best way to get any beneficial critters back into the display.
Wankell
Active Member
Yeah like @shaggydoo said, there's no plumbing required. You just put it into a chamber in your sump and let the water flow through it, or if you have an AIO you can put it in the media basket, or an empty chamber in the back. But you do need a constant light on it so it will grow.
Jaylivi1212
Active Member
I was looking to use a reactor tho
they have hang on reactors that you can use if you plan on making one.
or you can just stand it up in the stand.
use a small pump to pull water into the reactor from the sump, then the return line back into the sump as well.you can pull from one chamber to another, or the same sump chamber.
ill snap a picture of the one i am setting up shortly when i go home for lunch.
or you can just stand it up in the stand.
use a small pump to pull water into the reactor from the sump, then the return line back into the sump as well.you can pull from one chamber to another, or the same sump chamber.
ill snap a picture of the one i am setting up shortly when i go home for lunch.
Jaylivi1212
Active Member
I appreciate it
. What brand reactor are you using ?
kyleinpdx
Well-Known Member
Its my understanding that mangroves are much more of an aesthetic component in most home reefs, they simply cant match the nutrient uptake that macros can. They glow fairly slowly, require their roots to be in some type of substrate, weekly misting to cleanse the salt secretions and strong light. Thats not to say folks shouldnt use/add them, I think they look awesome and add another dimension to a reef tank, but know thats its not as simple as plopping in a ball of chaeto.
As for the usefulness of refugiums, I'm in the same boat as you, if for nothing else, additional water volume is rarely ever detrimental. I've run HOB fuges on many tanks, some as small as 8-10gal and they help boost the pop population, they also do a great job of growing nuisance algae somewhere other than the display.
glb
7500 Club Member
I’m thinking of converting a HOB GFO reactor for my 12g nano. I’ve read you can wrap waterproof lights around the outside and then cover the lights so they don’t spill out into the room. I’ve had this TLF reactor for years and it’s never leaked.
Wankell
Active Member
Yeah sorry, I kinda got off subject. The a ARID ones are really cool looking but very expensive. I think I may get one of those eventually, but as far as the plumbing goes, it would be the same idea, take water in from some sort of drain area and put it back in at the return area.
arg, I wasn't able to get home on lunch as planned. work has been getting crazy againI appreciate it
when i get home tonight i will get for sure.
when I went to reefapalooza I got a free one.
Its really close to the reactor from two little fishies
just wrapped the grow lights around it with zip ties., same as all the other DIY algae reactor builds.
i also recently installed a chaeto reactor on a tank that i service. the reactor is gorgeous but its insane overkill for its purpose, and a lot more $$ than i would want to spend.
Aaron Davis
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Cheato reactor? I'm assuming you put your macro algae in the reactor that's meant for carbon or GFO, which keeps the algae stationary which reduces greatly, the amount of algae pieces floating around? Is that the main purpose?
its like a modern refugium. yes, you use a reactor that would typically be used for phosban, carbon, GFO, ETC.
if you dont have the space to set up a full fuge, you can build a macroalgae reactor. so you still get the benefits of chaeto as a form of nutrient export.
a couple companies are selling "kits" to make your own, much like the BRS DIY screen kit.
ARID makes a reactor that is set up for chaeto the cost is pretty high imo.
note, not my picture below, found it on google search.
Aaron Davis
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Freaking awesome! I need this! Thanks. How often do you have to harvest it?its like a modern refugium. yes, you use a reactor that would typically be used for phosban, carbon, GFO, ETC.
if you dont have the space to set up a full fuge, you can build a macroalgae reactor. so you still get the benefits of chaeto as a form of nutrient export.
a couple companies are selling "kits" to make your own, much like the BRS DIY screen kit.
ARID makes a reactor that is set up for chaeto the cost is pretty high imo.
note, not my picture below, found it on google search.
Here’s the one I just put together.
Haven’t started using it yet as my tank has p need for it right now.
Harvesting will depend on how big of a reactor you set up tbh. Anywhere from weekly to monthly
Forsaken77
Valuable Member
If you want to read up on a lot more info, instead of asking the same questions again, we had a huge discussion with a lot of relevant info in another thread HERE. Make sure you read through the whole thing because we found out a lot of things along the way.
