Spreading chaeto into a flat sheet

beyarbrough · Mar 17, 2017

I tried a search on this and didn't come up with anything, although I wasn't really sure how to word it. I'm curious if placing a ball of chaeto into something like a rubbermaid bin and spreading it apart everyday, or as needed would allow better growth. It seems logical if the mat was thin and had a slow enough flow as to not tumble and cause it to compact there would be few areas of the mat that didn't receive light. Also seems less likely to trap detritus. Has anybody ever tried this? I'm not even sure if chaeto would stay in that form for long. Not a good idea for under tank but maybe for a separate fish room. So... dumb idea or worth giving it a shot? I might just try it and see what happens. Nothing to lose really but a cheap storage bin.

beyarbrough · Mar 19, 2017

I ended up just partitioning my sump with egg crate for a chaeto chamber. I already had the egg crate so it was easier. Maybe one day I'll try it though. Still would like to know if anybody has tried it or thinks it could work well.

sundog101 · Mar 19, 2017

Spreading it out is more effective and increases photosynthesis. I'm not sure if cheato would hold its form though in a tub. Maybe if the water level was low and it grew out and not up and in a ball. However, I think the cheato eggrate sandwich is a good solution.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/chaeto-egg-crate-sandwich-idea.144659/

I wasn't sure if this is what you did, or just sectioned off an area in the sump.