I am in love with Chaetomorpha

lancer99 · 12/23/2007, 05:11 PM

I stopped reefkeeping about five years ago due to apartment living, etc.,...just back into it, and astounded at how much has changed in five years. Some bad (overpriced/overhyped/overcolored corals) and some very, very good....Chaetomorpha!

Back in the day, we had three choices for nutrient-exporting macros: Caulerpa, Caulerpa, and..... Caulerpa.

And all the attendant problems, like sporulation.

Now I have Chaeto in my Bakpaks, a HOB filter, and fuge. Can't kill it with a stick...I accidentally rinsed some in RO water (note to self: label trash cans), and that didn't stop it.

The most fun is doing my weekly harvest, and shaking it carefully to remove hitchhikers....baby snails, Stomatella, mini brittle stars, ginormous (1/2"+) pods, and....probably lots of other things I can't see.

So you can see why I love Chaeto. Yeah, I know, get a room

-R

Sk8r · 12/23/2007, 05:17 PM

I don't blame you. I come from the era BEFORE fuges, and I am also in love with these little jewels.

Aquabucket · 12/23/2007, 06:44 PM

Chaeto rocks! I could not run my tank with-out it.

Snowboarda42 · 12/23/2007, 06:47 PM

I love my chaeto too, its great for keeping 'trates and 'phates down

mg426 · 12/23/2007, 08:02 PM

It is one of the best additiopns to my system also.

lancer99 · 12/23/2007, 08:35 PM

Can I put in a plug for Ochtodes (blue ball algae) as well?

I got some from a fellow reefer...it has turned more brown than blue in my tank (more light I think), grows more slowly, and less of a detritus trap than Chaeto. My snails and hermits are always on it, and it's pod heaven.

-R

fambrough · 12/24/2007, 09:27 AM

I like the ochtodes as well. But for nutirent export the Chaetomorpha wins hands down, ditto for pod habitat. I have some of the blue algae in my tank and chaeto in the sump. Wouldn't ever run a tank without it.

Adding a sump with chaeto was the single most wonderful thing I have done so far for my tank.

reefkeeper135 · 12/24/2007, 09:42 AM

OK, so are there any down sides to using chaeto? anything to be careful about or to watch for?

AquaKnight · 12/24/2007, 10:00 AM

I love Chaeto too, if only my tank could keep it alive. Oh well, guess it's strickly caulerpa for me (which grows great and not sexual problems yet, including 72hrs of no light and 75% die off).

lancer99 · 12/24/2007, 11:39 PM

Reefkeeper, there is one downside....Chaeto can be invasive. I'm trying to starve out the Dictyota in my 40G QT tank, so have some Chaeto growing in there, behind some eggcrating + fiberglass window screening. The Chaeto grows out and attaches to the LR....plus when I prune it back, there are invariably some little frags that get out...more stuff to pick off the LR.

But that's a minor nit to pick....well worth it for the increased bio-diversity it adds to my tank...I love the stuff!

-R

reefkeeper135 · 12/25/2007, 12:29 PM

Cool, I will look into getting some as I have been fighting nitrates of about 10ppm and would like to see if it will help

reefCrawler · 12/25/2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lancer99
Reefkeeper, there is one downside....Chaeto can be invasive. I'm trying to starve out the Dictyota in my 40G QT tank, so have some Chaeto growing in there, behind some eggcrating + fiberglass window screening. The Chaeto grows out and attaches to the LR....plus when I prune it back, there are invariably some little frags that get out...more stuff to pick off the LR.

But that's a minor nit to pick....well worth it for the increased bio-diversity it adds to my tank...I love the stuff!

-R

I'll get a tang to eat the grow out, happy you, happy fish, problem solved.

12/23/2007, 05:11 PM	#1
lancer99 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 1,100	I am in love with Chaetomorpha I stopped reefkeeping about five years ago due to apartment living, etc.,...just back into it, and astounded at how much has changed in five years. Some bad (overpriced/overhyped/overcolored corals) and some very, very good....Chaetomorpha! Back in the day, we had three choices for nutrient-exporting macros: Caulerpa, Caulerpa, and..... Caulerpa. And all the attendant problems, like sporulation. Now I have Chaeto in my Bakpaks, a HOB filter, and fuge. Can't kill it with a stick...I accidentally rinsed some in RO water (note to self: label trash cans), and that didn't stop it. The most fun is doing my weekly harvest, and shaking it carefully to remove hitchhikers....baby snails, Stomatella, mini brittle stars, ginormous (1/2"+) pods, and....probably lots of other things I can't see. So you can see why I love Chaeto. Yeah, I know, get a room -R

12/23/2007, 05:17 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I don't blame you. I come from the era BEFORE fuges, and I am also in love with these little jewels. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/23/2007, 06:44 PM	#3
Aquabucket Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Green Bay, Wi. Posts: 4,455	Chaeto rocks! I could not run my tank with-out it. __________________ "Just a drop in the bucket"

12/23/2007, 06:47 PM	#4
Snowboarda42 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Warshington Posts: 1,094	I love my chaeto too, its great for keeping 'trates and 'phates down __________________ 40B Mixed Reef 100% Captive Grown Corals See, that's the trouble with the world today. Not enough danger to kill off stupid people before they get old enough to breed. Bring back lawn darts! -PrivateJoker64 Current Tank Info: 40B, 20L Sump/Fuge, Mag 9.5 Return, 2x Hydor Koralia #2's, 150W 14K HQI, 139W T-5, Euro-Reef RS-80P Mesh Modded, 40LB LR, 80LB LS, 54x Turnover, Mostly SPS, Some Softys Too.

12/23/2007, 08:02 PM	#5
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	It is one of the best additiopns to my system also. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

12/23/2007, 08:35 PM	#6
lancer99 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 1,100	Can I put in a plug for Ochtodes (blue ball algae) as well? I got some from a fellow reefer...it has turned more brown than blue in my tank (more light I think), grows more slowly, and less of a detritus trap than Chaeto. My snails and hermits are always on it, and it's pod heaven. -R

12/24/2007, 09:27 AM	#7
fambrough Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cleveland Heights Posts: 545	I like the ochtodes as well. But for nutirent export the Chaetomorpha wins hands down, ditto for pod habitat. I have some of the blue algae in my tank and chaeto in the sump. Wouldn't ever run a tank without it. Adding a sump with chaeto was the single most wonderful thing I have done so far for my tank. __________________ ...if you get confused, listen to the music play... Current Tank Info: 40 breeder clown/anemone tank; RR 75 mixed corals and fish: radions over both, vortechs; one 37 cube fresh water with ryukin goldfish

12/24/2007, 09:42 AM	#8
reefkeeper135 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Yuma Arizona Posts: 531	OK, so are there any down sides to using chaeto? anything to be careful about or to watch for?

12/24/2007, 10:00 AM	#9
AquaKnight Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Emerald Coast Posts: 2,030	I love Chaeto too, if only my tank could keep it alive. Oh well, guess it's strickly caulerpa for me (which grows great and not sexual problems yet, including 72hrs of no light and 75% die off).

12/24/2007, 11:39 PM	#10
lancer99 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 1,100	Reefkeeper, there is one downside....Chaeto can be invasive. I'm trying to starve out the Dictyota in my 40G QT tank, so have some Chaeto growing in there, behind some eggcrating + fiberglass window screening. The Chaeto grows out and attaches to the LR....plus when I prune it back, there are invariably some little frags that get out...more stuff to pick off the LR. But that's a minor nit to pick....well worth it for the increased bio-diversity it adds to my tank...I love the stuff! -R

12/25/2007, 12:29 PM	#11
reefkeeper135 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Yuma Arizona Posts: 531	Cool, I will look into getting some as I have been fighting nitrates of about 10ppm and would like to see if it will help