Chaeto really growing now!

guitarfish · 11/12/2004, 08:19 PM

I got a tiny amount of chaeto back in Aug '04 from an LFS. Probably could have squished it into a half cup. It didn't grow much at all for a month, so I switched to a Phillips 75w halogen light. Now that two months have gone by, the wad in the sump is as big as a football, or more. (I haven't noticed much change at all in nitrates, however, they remain about 10).

How big do I let this mass get until I start trimming it? I'm hoping to get 0 nitrates. I have plenty of room in the sump, it could easily get 4-5 times larger, I just don't know if I should let it get that big.

hmott · 11/15/2004, 08:44 AM

Let it pretty much fill the refuge. once you think it is starting to runn out of room trim it back by 25 - 50%. Let it grow out again and do it all over again. Thats what I do anyway, seems to be working for me.

guitarfish · 11/15/2004, 08:49 AM

Will do, thanks!

AJtheReefer · 11/17/2004, 03:21 PM

Guitarfish,
is the 75W a spot or flood light? Also, what is your refugium area? Are you using only one bulb?

Thanks

guitarfish · 11/17/2004, 05:17 PM

I'm using one Phillips 75 W Par 30 Halogen Spot from Home Depot. It's in my sump which is simply a 30g (36" wide) AGA tank. All that's in there is skimmer, chaeto, heaters, about 10lbs of small rock pieces, and the return pump. I have about 20g of water in it.

At Home Depot I got a light fixture for it that is an aluminum shroud, with a clamp - kinda like a worklight that you could clip to the inside of a car hood - so I have it clamped to the underneath of my stand.

I leave it on for about 12hrs a day, on timer.

11/12/2004, 08:19 PM	#1
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	Chaeto really growing now! I got a tiny amount of chaeto back in Aug '04 from an LFS. Probably could have squished it into a half cup. It didn't grow much at all for a month, so I switched to a Phillips 75w halogen light. Now that two months have gone by, the wad in the sump is as big as a football, or more. (I haven't noticed much change at all in nitrates, however, they remain about 10). How big do I let this mass get until I start trimming it? I'm hoping to get 0 nitrates. I have plenty of room in the sump, it could easily get 4-5 times larger, I just don't know if I should let it get that big. __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

11/15/2004, 08:49 AM	#3
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	Will do, thanks! __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

11/17/2004, 03:21 PM	#4
AJtheReefer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 399	Guitarfish, is the 75W a spot or flood light? Also, what is your refugium area? Are you using only one bulb? Thanks __________________ 90G AGA, 30G Sump, SLS Tek Lights 8x54w, H&S A150-F2001

11/17/2004, 05:17 PM	#5
guitarfish Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Milford, PA Posts: 2,666	I'm using one Phillips 75 W Par 30 Halogen Spot from Home Depot. It's in my sump which is simply a 30g (36" wide) AGA tank. All that's in there is skimmer, chaeto, heaters, about 10lbs of small rock pieces, and the return pump. I have about 20g of water in it. At Home Depot I got a light fixture for it that is an aluminum shroud, with a clamp - kinda like a worklight that you could clip to the inside of a car hood - so I have it clamped to the underneath of my stand. I leave it on for about 12hrs a day, on timer. __________________ "For wisdom is better than corals, and all other delights themselves cannot be made equal to it." (Proverbs 8:11) Current Tank Info: Former tank: 75g AGA MegaFlow, 30g sump, 100lb LR, MAG 9.5, AquaC EV-120w/MAG 5, Aqualight 260w PC

11/15/2004, 08:44 AM	#2
hmott Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Belpre Ohio Posts: 470	Let it pretty much fill the refuge. once you think it is starting to runn out of room trim it back by 25 - 50%. Let it grow out again and do it all over again. Thats what I do anyway, seems to be working for me.