When to harvest chaeto

[Gtinnel]

I'm fairly new to using a refugium and the ball of chaeto that I put in there a couple of months back has now completely filled my refugium. At what point do you harvest the chaeto and how much do you leave when you do harvest it?

Does it just need to be harvested before the chaeto in the middle is dying because of lack of light? I've never had enough flow to cause the chaeto to rotate but it doesn't seem to have ever effected growth or caused any specific area to die off as far as I can tell.

If it makes a difference my fuge is half of a 29g tank.

 

[EricR]

Watching this 'cause I wish I had room for a proper refugium.

Instead, I have about a baseball size ball of chaeto in a soap dish on the side of my DT. (Actually bought some micro brittle stars and they came in it).

6 months later, the chaeto ball has neither grown nor receded so I'm leaving it. (I assume not lighting it properly is my biggest issue).

It's currently acting as a pod orgy spot and also the only hair algae in may tank grows there so it's nice and contained so far.

 

[Gtinnel]

Watching this 'cause I wish I had room for a proper refugium.

Instead, I have about a baseball size ball of chaeto in a soap dish on the side of my DT. (Actually bought some micro brittle stars and they came in it).

6 months later, the chaeto ball has neither grown nor receded so I'm leaving it. (I assume not lighting it properly is my biggest issue).

It's currently acting as a pod orgy spot and also the only hair algae in may tank grows there so it's nice and contained so far.

I tried chaeto a few years back but my nutrients were already low (I'm not really sure why I even tried to grow it) and it didn't last long. As my tank has become more mature and heavier stocked I finally tried it again and it has grown great, I just don't know when and how much to harvest. I honestly think I like the night time pH boost as much as the nutrient export.

It's currently acting as a pod orgy spot

 

[Garia666]

When it has no more room to grow?

 

[Garia666]

Watching this 'cause I wish I had room for a proper refugium.

Instead, I have about a baseball size ball of chaeto in a soap dish on the side of my DT. (Actually bought some micro brittle stars and they came in it).

6 months later, the chaeto ball has neither grown nor receded so I'm leaving it. (I assume not lighting it properly is my biggest issue).

It's currently acting as a pod orgy spot and also the only hair algae in may tank grows there so it's nice and contained so far.

red and green light stimulate the algae growth.
What type of lighting do you use?
And do you run counter lighting schedule?
It’s good for ph and all growth is concentrated for your chaeto.

 

[EricR]

red and green light stimulate the algae growth.
What type of lighting do you use?
And do you run counter lighting schedule?
It’s good for ph and all growth is concentrated for your chaeto.

My chaeto soap dish is on one side of my DT so counter lighting is not possible.

My lights are 1x Kessil A80 + 1x Nicrew HyperReef 50W.
(40g breeder tank -- when I decide to deal with lighting I'm just going with 2x AI Prime 16 HDs... but right now it's fun to play with cheap c&@#&)

*so,,, yes,,, I realize that if I actually wanted my chaeto to thrive,,, I'm not actually doing that yet.

 

[Reef and Dive]

I use 50W garden lights. Mine grows like hell. It is in a black recipient and I harvest about 25% every week.

 

[Hermie]

Me personally I only harvest about a 2"x2" square out of about an 8" by 8" floating island of chaeto, so about 10% roughly and I just see if that space fills in again.

I used to harvest a lot more but since I upgraded my skimmer I like to leave my chaeto alone for weeks at a time or longer and I give the excuse that it's the Triton method.

 

[Hermie]

It's currently acting as a pod orgy spot and also the only hair algae in may tank grows there so it's nice and contained so far.

I think my fish love it to be honest. Amphipods and Copepods.

 

[damsels are not mean]

whenever you're ready to have dinner

 

[hllb]

I take out about half my chaeto every two weeks. That's generally how long it takes to fill up my space. What I've noticed is that once the chaeto runs out of space and cannot grow effectively, my nutrients start moving up. So if those start trending up, I know I've waited too long to harvest.

 

[Gtinnel]

I take out about half my chaeto every two weeks. That's generally how long it takes to fill up my space. What I've noticed is that once the chaeto runs out of space and cannot grow effectively, my nutrients start moving up. So if those start trending up, I know I've waited too long to harvest.

That was one of the things I was wondering about. So lack of space to grow seems to reduce growth rate.

I wonder if it's because the chaeto is running out of space to grow or because it's big enough that more of it is being shaded from the light.

 

[hllb]

That was one of the things I was wondering about. So lack of space to grow seems to reduce growth rate.

I wonder if it's because the chaeto is running out of space to grow or because it's big enough that more of it is being shaded from the light.

I light mine from the side and have never had issues with any of the chaeto not getting enough light (at least its never shown any issues) so I'm going with reduced growth for space constraints.

 

[Gtinnel]

I light mine from the side and have never had issues with any of the chaeto not getting enough light (at least its never shown any issues) so I'm going with reduced growth for space constraints.

Mine is lit from the top and I don't notice any issue with the chaeto near the bottom dying, but I guess I'll know better when I pull some of it out.

 

[biecacka]

I have read that the outermost part of the chaeto that receives the light shares it throughout the strands. This “feeds” all the chaeto the light it should need. I will search around and see if I can find that reading.
I haven’t harvested mine in months and it has been growing but I also have a good sized space for it to grow.


corey

 

[Gtinnel]

I have read that the outermost part of the chaeto that receives the light shares it throughout the strands. This “feeds” all the chaeto the light it should need. I will search around and see if I can find that reading.

That makes sense to me and would explain why the shaded parts don't quickly die. It does make me wonder why online it seems like the consensus is that it's better if the chaeto is tumbling. I always assumed that was for light to hit all outside parts of the chaeto, but maybe not.

 

[biecacka]

I think tumbling has 2 advantages. One maybe it does allow for best lighting (good better best type thing) plus the “tumbling” chaeto allows for debris in the refugium to stay suspended in the water column to allow it to go to the skimmer, or get caught up in the chaeto and break down.
there becomes a point where tumbling chaeto is not doable or feasible. I bet mine would fill 2 5 gallon buckets or one if I crammed it in. Not sure if my sump area is big enough to allow it to tumble and the size pump I would need to do so.


corey

 

[Gtinnel]

I think tumbling has 2 advantages. One maybe it does allow for best lighting (good better best type thing) plus the “tumbling” chaeto allows for debris in the refugium to stay suspended in the water column to allow it to go to the skimmer, or get caught up in the chaeto and break down.
there becomes a point where tumbling chaeto is not doable or feasible. I bet mine would fill 2 5 gallon buckets or one if I crammed it in. Not sure if my sump area is big enough to allow it to tumble and the size pump I would need to do so.


corey

Mines now filling my fuge which is probably around 12 gallons on so, which means I also doubt it would tumble even if I tried to get it to.

 

[biecacka]

Haha
exactly!! It still works fine. I have seen chaeto so thick you could rest items on it!

corey

 

[Gtinnel]

Haha
exactly!! It still works fine. I have seen chaeto so thick you could rest items on it!

corey

Mine fills up the space but isn't that thick yet.