Chaeto in DT

Lyfey · 10/30/2008, 10:46 AM

I have heard that putting balls of chaeto in the DT, tucked in the LR or layed on the sandbed in certain places would be a great benefit for a tank that is not using a sump.. I'm running a sumpless 125g right now and i'm thinking of getting a lb or two of chaeto to help with filtration and pod poprogration (sp?) heh.. what do you guys think?

AngeloM3 · 10/30/2008, 10:51 AM

Other than maybe looking bad in the display... you shouldn't have any ill effects.

It'll have absorb excess nutriets.... give pods and other small critter places to hide.... depending on the fish you have, some might pick at it for lunch/dinner.

tmz · 10/30/2008, 10:55 AM

It will do lots of good things but it gets messy.

Lyfey · 10/30/2008, 11:02 AM

well i would rather go for the beneficial side of the chaeto rather than the pretty side.. exactly how do pods and chaeto work together?.. I was also thinking of adding the chaeto because i have a decent sized sand sifting starfish, that i read, eats all the pods in the tank anyways.. I worried that there is not enough pods in the tank and that the starfish will starve to death, also i would like to rescue this psychodelic mandarin at this small lfs, thats in a coppered tank =/

plateboy3293 · 10/30/2008, 11:04 AM

I also have a sand sifting star but they eat bad and beneficial bacteria in the sand bed not pods. Pods are eaten by most fish and for mandarins it is their only deit.

Lyfey · 10/30/2008, 11:14 AM

oh i thought the SSstarfish ate pods.. what are some common fish / inverts that eat pods besides mandarins and six-line wrasses?.. I just dont want to put a mandarin in the tank and have him out eaten by other fish/inverts

_E_ · 10/30/2008, 11:45 AM

Many fish will eat pods if given the chance, they're are just not as voracious at hunting for them as the mandarin and not as fincky of eaters. Chaeto can go in the DT, but it may be ugly, messy, and take up alot of space to do any good. That's why most people put it in a refugium.

tmz · 10/30/2008, 11:47 AM

Pods find the brillo like structor good habitat.

Reefolution · 10/30/2008, 12:42 PM

Chaetomorpha is not the best looking macro algae. It will also take up lots of room in the display tank and you will have trouble keeping it where you want. I would recommend any sort of external refugium, a hang on the back type or simply a bucket if you want Chaetomorpha. If you want some macro algae for the DT I would suggest Maiden's Hair or Gracilaria. A Mandarin will require a refugium and/or a lot of established live rock to support pod populations or the Mandarin will slowly starve.

10/30/2008, 10:46 AM	#1
Lyfey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 842	Chaeto in DT I have heard that putting balls of chaeto in the DT, tucked in the LR or layed on the sandbed in certain places would be a great benefit for a tank that is not using a sump.. I'm running a sumpless 125g right now and i'm thinking of getting a lb or two of chaeto to help with filtration and pod poprogration (sp?) heh.. what do you guys think?

10/30/2008, 10:51 AM	#2
AngeloM3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 1,016	Other than maybe looking bad in the display... you shouldn't have any ill effects. It'll have absorb excess nutriets.... give pods and other small critter places to hide.... depending on the fish you have, some might pick at it for lunch/dinner. __________________ "I'm sick of chasing my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where their going and catch up with them later." -Mitch Hedberg R.I.P

10/30/2008, 10:55 AM	#3
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	It will do lots of good things but it gets messy. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

10/30/2008, 11:04 AM	#5
plateboy3293 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hillsborough, New Jersey Posts: 1,038	I also have a sand sifting star but they eat bad and beneficial bacteria in the sand bed not pods. Pods are eaten by most fish and for mandarins it is their only deit. __________________ Wars come and go but my soldiers stay eternal Current Tank Info: 155 gallon bow

10/30/2008, 11:45 AM	#7
_E_ Professional Lurker Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Du Quoin, Illinois Posts: 1,169	Many fish will eat pods if given the chance, they're are just not as voracious at hunting for them as the mandarin and not as fincky of eaters. Chaeto can go in the DT, but it may be ugly, messy, and take up alot of space to do any good. That's why most people put it in a refugium. __________________ Eric "If you think things can't get worse it's probably only because you lack sufficient imagination." Current Tank Info: 140 DSA with basement sump room

10/30/2008, 11:02 AM	#4
Lyfey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 842	well i would rather go for the beneficial side of the chaeto rather than the pretty side.. exactly how do pods and chaeto work together?.. I was also thinking of adding the chaeto because i have a decent sized sand sifting starfish, that i read, eats all the pods in the tank anyways.. I worried that there is not enough pods in the tank and that the starfish will starve to death, also i would like to rescue this psychodelic mandarin at this small lfs, thats in a coppered tank =/

10/30/2008, 11:14 AM	#6
Lyfey Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 842	oh i thought the SSstarfish ate pods.. what are some common fish / inverts that eat pods besides mandarins and six-line wrasses?.. I just dont want to put a mandarin in the tank and have him out eaten by other fish/inverts

10/30/2008, 11:47 AM	#8
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Pods find the brillo like structor good habitat. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

10/30/2008, 12:42 PM	#9
Reefolution Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 299	Chaetomorpha is not the best looking macro algae. It will also take up lots of room in the display tank and you will have trouble keeping it where you want. I would recommend any sort of external refugium, a hang on the back type or simply a bucket if you want Chaetomorpha. If you want some macro algae for the DT I would suggest Maiden's Hair or Gracilaria. A Mandarin will require a refugium and/or a lot of established live rock to support pod populations or the Mandarin will slowly starve.