Refugium Accident, Queation now Cheato recovery

Bandsaw · 12/24/2011, 10:27 AM

Need some advise. Here is the story........

So I did something really stupid.

My refugium is a 20g tall tank in my very cold basement. It is fed by a MJ300 maxi jet. I prefer to use a maxi jet as opposed to just teeing off my return line. That way, if the overflow sensor in the fuge trips, I can automatically turn off the MJ300. Both the feed line and return of my Calcium Reactor is also in my refugium.

About once a month, I rinse my cheato out during a water change. It is unreal how much stuff that cheato catches.

A week ago, I did just that. Did a 5 gallon water change in the refugium, cleaned off my fantastic looking cheato and pruned it at the same time.

I come home 4 days later (I work away from home), went to check on my sump, Calcium Reactor and refugium. Right off, I noticed that the water level in the refugium was below the return outlets in the tank. What happened?

Yep, I forgot to plug the MJ300 pump back in

. Being in a cold basement in December - North East Canada (-21C last night), the water was stone cold. I don't want to even think about how low the PH was from the CaRa.

My cheato is all shrunk down to just a ball of mush and falls apart easy. It is still very green.

I've warmed the fuge up slowly and allowed the PH to rise slowly as well and have now got normal circulation through the fuge to the main tank.

My question now is about the cheato. Do you folks believe that the cheato will recover? Or will it slowly wither away to nothing releasing all the good stuff it captured back into my system? If you folks think the later, I will get the stuff out of fuge ASAP and go begging for a new supply of cheato.

Any help or feedback here is appreciated.

Thanks

aleonn · 12/24/2011, 12:33 PM

I would have at least changed out the water in the refugium. If the chaeto is still green, there's a chance of it recovering IMO.

Reefmedic79 · 12/24/2011, 06:01 PM

The cheato should make a recovery, i've had some survive being in a bucket outside for 3 months with rain being the only means of top-off/circulation.

Bandsaw · 12/24/2011, 07:07 PM

Thanks for the replies. The cheato already looks a lot more puffy than it did.

Big_Al · 12/24/2011, 09:42 PM

Ya it should be fine. I have had cheato in a bucket of cold water for long periods and had it recover. Infact I have some outside in a bucket frozen over with ice right now and it looks as green as when I put it out there. Curiosity may make me warm it back up to see how it does.

12/24/2011, 10:27 AM	#1
Bandsaw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Eastern Ontario (above Sudbury) Posts: 720	Refugium Accident, Queation now Cheato recovery Need some advise. Here is the story........ So I did something really stupid. My refugium is a 20g tall tank in my very cold basement. It is fed by a MJ300 maxi jet. I prefer to use a maxi jet as opposed to just teeing off my return line. That way, if the overflow sensor in the fuge trips, I can automatically turn off the MJ300. Both the feed line and return of my Calcium Reactor is also in my refugium. About once a month, I rinse my cheato out during a water change. It is unreal how much stuff that cheato catches. A week ago, I did just that. Did a 5 gallon water change in the refugium, cleaned off my fantastic looking cheato and pruned it at the same time. I come home 4 days later (I work away from home), went to check on my sump, Calcium Reactor and refugium. Right off, I noticed that the water level in the refugium was below the return outlets in the tank. What happened? Yep, I forgot to plug the MJ300 pump back in . Being in a cold basement in December - North East Canada (-21C last night), the water was stone cold. I don't want to even think about how low the PH was from the CaRa. My cheato is all shrunk down to just a ball of mush and falls apart easy. It is still very green. I've warmed the fuge up slowly and allowed the PH to rise slowly as well and have now got normal circulation through the fuge to the main tank. My question now is about the cheato. Do you folks believe that the cheato will recover? Or will it slowly wither away to nothing releasing all the good stuff it captured back into my system? If you folks think the later, I will get the stuff out of fuge ASAP and go begging for a new supply of cheato. Any help or feedback here is appreciated. Thanks __________________ VE3SZB Failure is not an option - It is a requirement if you expect to learn anything. Click on my home page button for pictures of my aquarium. Current Tank Info: 75g Display, CPR SM Aquafuge, 8g sump, 20g tall fuge, Maxspect R420R LED, KoralLin 1502 CaRa, EV-180 Skimmer

12/24/2011, 06:01 PM	#3
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	The cheato should make a recovery, i've had some survive being in a bucket outside for 3 months with rain being the only means of top-off/circulation. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

12/24/2011, 07:07 PM	#4
Bandsaw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Eastern Ontario (above Sudbury) Posts: 720	Thanks for the replies. The cheato already looks a lot more puffy than it did. __________________ VE3SZB Failure is not an option - It is a requirement if you expect to learn anything. Click on my home page button for pictures of my aquarium. Current Tank Info: 75g Display, CPR SM Aquafuge, 8g sump, 20g tall fuge, Maxspect R420R LED, KoralLin 1502 CaRa, EV-180 Skimmer

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12/24/2011, 12:33 PM	#2
aleonn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 4,041	I would have at least changed out the water in the refugium. If the chaeto is still green, there's a chance of it recovering IMO.

12/24/2011, 09:42 PM	#5
Big_Al Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 49	Ya it should be fine. I have had cheato in a bucket of cold water for long periods and had it recover. Infact I have some outside in a bucket frozen over with ice right now and it looks as green as when I put it out there. Curiosity may make me warm it back up to see how it does.