What’s the difference?

[Chela101]

So, I’m always online trying to see what I can add to my all in one reef tank, with the limited space I have.. with that being said, I was asking myself how do I know chaeto or chaetomorpha is clean and healthy? Or you just go off with the name they put on it for better marketing? Meaning like a placebo effect, to just make the client happy and think we just got the best out the best…

 

[Rtaylor]

So, I’m always online trying to see what I can add to my all in one reef tank, with the limited space I have.. with that being said, I was asking myself how do I know chaeto or chaetomorpha is clean and healthy? Or you just go off with the name they put on it for better marketing? Meaning like a placebo effect, to just make the client happy and think we just got the best out the best…

Not exactly sure what you mean by the name in regards to chaeto. But, you can’t be 100% sure it’s pest free. You could quarantine it if you’re really concerned. Buying from a reputable source with good reviews would also help increase the likelihood it’s pest free. A freshwater dip would remove some pests, but typically won’t kill aptasia or asterina stars. I think people worry too much about pests especially in a refugium. ‘Clean’ chaeto will also likely be free of beneficial hitchhikers like pods.

 

[Chela101]

Not exactly sure what you mean by the name in regards to chaeto. But, you can’t be 100% sure it’s pest free. You could quarantine it if you’re really concerned. Buying from a reputable source with good reviews would also help increase the likelihood it’s pest free. A freshwater dip would remove some pests, but typically won’t kill aptasia or asterina stars. I think people worry too much about pests especially in a refugium. ‘Clean’ chaeto will also likely be free of beneficial hitchhikers like pods

What I meant, is that how do you know is clean and super healthy chaeto. Other than the name they put on their website for their product they selling.. so basically meaning that if I was to harvest the same chaeto from the same tank and on one I can call it “super clean and healthy chaeto” for 30 bucks and the other just “chaeto” for 10 bucks and ppl will just buy the one with the name “super clean&healthy” just because it says that. Making it a placebo because it was harvested in the same tank but it was just marketed better to sell one that cost way more

 

[Rtaylor]

What I meant, is that how do you know is clean and super healthy chaeto. Other than the name they put on their website for their product they selling.. so basically meaning that if I was to harvest the same chaeto from the same tank and on one I can call it “super clean and healthy chaeto” for 30 bucks and the other just “chaeto” for 10 bucks and ppl will just buy the one with the name “super clean&healthy” just because it says that. Making it a placebo because it was harvested in the same tank but it was just marketed better to sell one that cost way more

So you’re asking if sellers use marketing? Ummm, yes.
Go by reputation and reviews, not stupid made-up trade names. I guess you could name it Super Holy Grail Sterile Chaeto and ask $50 for it, but personally I traded another reefer some phytoplankton I culture for a gallon bag of ‘unclean’ chaeto because I’m not terrified of aptasia.

 

[Chela101]

So you’re asking if sellers use marketing? Ummm, yes.
Go by reputation and reviews, not stupid made-up trade names. I guess you could name it Super Holy Grail Sterile Chaeto and ask $50 for it, but personally I traded another reefer some phytoplankton I culture for a gallon bag of ‘unclean’ chaeto because I’m not terrified of aptasia.

Yea! Because I have a ig group convo and I got backlash bcuz I got a 10 dollar cup of chaeto from a good LFS that I been going since I was a kid. And they told me it was better to buy from this website that they were selling the same amount for triple the price (meaning 30 bucks) and even on there reviews one commented that it came in the mail smelling horrible and all this things. So it got me thinking if it was just the marketing they used to make ppl think that they getting better

 

[Rtaylor]

Yea! Because I have a ig group convo and I got backlash bcuz I got a 10 dollar cup of chaeto from a good LFS that I been going since I was a kid. And they told me it was better to buy from this website that they were selling the same amount for triple the price (meaning 30 bucks) and even on there reviews one commented that it came in the mail smelling horrible and all this things. So it got me thinking if it was just the marketing they used to make ppl think that they getting better

Nearly all sellers use marketing gimmicks, In nearly every industry. I find it odd that it would be surprising.

 

[Crabby48]

By from a place that keeps it in fishless systems and is only for Chaeto will help. A place like algae barn your chances of pest free are better than a lfs or a place that uses Chaeto to remove nutrients in their tank. If it’s nice and green and not brittle it will be in good health and not dying

 

[Spare time]

Algaebarn would be my go to. I've order from them lots and never have found a hitch hiker on their macroalgae. The worst is usually macroalgae from an lfs since that's often used as their filter and gets filled with flatworms, aiptasia, bristleworms, etc.

 

[bushdoc]

I recently bought ball of chaeto from LFS and obviously took a chance, or did I? Are those life goods sold online really guaranteed to be “sterile”. Can you actually have sterile Reef Tank and if so is it even desirable?
By “ sterile” I mean without pests.
People are afraid to buy Live Rock because of pests and than they get protracted “ugly faze” with dry rock.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

If you're comfortable buying other things from that LFS, then I think buying chaeto there is likely fine. If you see other things in their tanks that you wouldn't buy, then I'd avoid the chaeto.

 

[Chela101]

I recently bought ball of chaeto from LFS and obviously took a chance, or did I? Are those life goods sold online really guaranteed to be “sterile”. Can you actually have sterile Reef Tank and if so is it even desirable?
By “ sterile” I mean without pests.
People are afraid to buy Live Rock because of pests and than they get protracted “ugly faze” with dry rock.

That’s what I mean, like I seen their corals doing amazing! And their fish and everything. So I was like I can’t see how websites keep their tanks and fishes so what would make me think that it’s super clean and pest free. When some hitchhikers are so small you can’t even see any… they could say this is the most cleanest algae meanwhile they have a bunch fishes dying and corals not growing good. When I’m in person seeing the store corals doing amazing and growing so fast…

 

[Chela101]

Nearly all sellers use marketing gimmicks, In nearly every industry. I find it odd that it would be surprising.

So yea, so that’s what I was getting into. That you can think you got a super clean algae so you automatically think your good, and thinking LFS store algae isn’t clean and have all these unwanted critters. Making it sound like a placebo effect

 

[Chela101]

By from a place that keeps it in fishless systems and is only for Chaeto will help. A place like algae barn your chances of pest free are better than a lfs or a place that uses Chaeto to remove nutrients in their tank. If it’s nice and green and not brittle it will be in good health and not dying

Well what I was trying to say is that how do you really know that one’s algae is cleaner than someone else? Just because the name they use and the description of their product to get better marketing. It’s like a placebo affect. One thinks they got a better one but in reality it’s a ordinary one that is the same in a LFS

 

[Chela101]

By from a place that keeps it in fishless systems and is only for Chaeto will help. A place like algae barn your chances of pest free are better than a lfs or a place that uses Chaeto to remove nutrients in their tank. If it’s nice and green and not brittle it will be in good health and not dying

That seems like the only way to go, to actually know. But I’m saying in a website that they got fishes and corals and everything in between. Those places that got all that and they have algae that’s like super expensive

 

[Chela101]

If you're comfortable buying other things from that LFS, then I think buying chaeto there is likely fine. If you see other things in their tanks that you wouldn't buy, then I'd avoid the chaeto.

Of course, they always have healthy fish that lasted me really long. And their corals too

 

[exnisstech]

I have a ig group convo and I got backlash

I wouldn't be concerned about backlash on ig.
Buy where your comfortable and if it's a lfs all the better. If we don't support them then eventually they'll cease to exist and we'll be forced to buy online and accept what they send.

 

[Badboyan93l]

That seems like the only way to go, to actually know. But I’m saying in a website that they got fishes and corals and everything in between. Those places that got all that and they have algae that’s like super expensive

Yeah, it's because it's the most common go to algae, so, some ppl or store will sell them at different prices. If it's "clean" that all depends. You have to find a reputable source. You mentioned you got yours from a trusted LFS. I would of went with that one, i'll just inspected it and dip in freshwater. I just recently purchased a small amount from an ebay dealer for $30 and it look good nothing was attached except a small amount of gracilaria and I threw it in the sump (without their water) and both are growing, no critters attached.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Of course, they always have healthy fish that lasted me really long. And their corals too

I would be curious which LFS this was. Always looking for a good new place. I have noticed that most LFS's will carry the same inventory and when you go to a new one they have completely different fish and corals. Which is a good thing.

 

[Tangs-A-Lot]

I like that you and others support small businesses, as mentioned above by another member. I have bought fish from a LFS that I’ve seen dead fish in their tanks. It happens; just because there may be pests, Aiptasia, etc. in tanks doesn’t mean it will pass on to your tank. Try to be diligent in the dipping, QT and select fish/coral from clean/cleaner looking tanks. As mentioned earlier, Algae Barn farms their Chaeto separately, which severely reduces chance of pests. The rare story of some getting a bad batch could be from a number of reasons, not all the sellers fault.

 

[PotatoPig]

My understanding:

Algaebarn: Grown in fishless systems without other critters, aquaculture let’s them screen, clean, screen, clean a few times at the beginning to get a growth sample they can use in clean and controlled systems they can also readily inspect. Should stay clean from there on. It’s $35 for a tiny starter bottle, if they actually have it available.

My LFS: Chaeto comes with “free biodiversity” that’s readily visible in the tank. Pods, worms, etc. It’s definitely not clean, but nothing that wouldn’t come in on any shipment of live rock. It’s $8 for a fistful whenever you want.

Randoms on eBay/etc: Folks with a spare tank and grow light who pinky swear they do what algaebarn does.