Chaeto egg crate sandwich idea.

[Rjramos]

Here is a picture of the JBJ nano glo. As you can see I have the light velcroed to the wall behind the tank cause the chaeto was turning yellow and dying when I had it up against the glass. I placed some foam pads on the sides and one on top to prevent light scatter in the room at night. I took the top one off to take the picture. I run it 24/7 and its still going after 2 years!

 

[Boom]

Promised myself I wouldn't tinker on the marine tank for a month... couldn't wait on this quickie. I use Red Ogo for my fuge macro. This took about 45 min to do. Much better light coverage and flow thru than my basket setup.
The overflow is "sweeping" the bare bottom sump under the sandwich, straight towards the skimmer intake (bottom right). I left one end of the sandwich open where I dropped in the Ogo.

I love it! Thank you!!! If I can take my skimmer offline eventually, I'll add another sandwich.

 

[Rjramos]

Promised myself I wouldn't tinker on the marine tank for a month... couldn't wait on this quickie. I use Red Ogo for my fuge macro. This took about 45 min to do. Much better light coverage and flow thru than my basket setup.
The overflow is "sweeping" the bare bottom sump under the sandwich, straight towards the skimmer intake (bottom right). I left one end of the sandwich open where I dropped in the Ogo.

I love it! Thank you!!! If I can take my skimmer offline eventually, I'll add another sandwich.

Wow a red gracilaria sandwich, I love the variation! Edible too! Let me know how it grows!

 

[reefknight]

Just made a trimming of mine. It's been about two months.

That's the bottom of a 5gal bucket. I'd say about 1/4 full.

 

[Boom]

Update, the Ogo didn't do well. I might have put too much at once or the flow wasn't enough.
I got a small ball of chaeto from another tank and started over, and added small powerhead in front of the sandwich. It's growing well. The blanched Ogo I threw in the DT and it was eaten in two days. No waste.

 

[sundog101]

How much nutrient reduction are you guys seeing with the sandwich idea? Do you think it would be similar to an algae scrubber?

 

[jkhogan]

Great idea!

 

[chet31]

This is a awesome idea and needs to be a 'stickie'.

 

[nchin]

Mine always dies when floating by itself may need to try this.

 

[Rjramos]

Here is my current growth. I have been exporting and taking to my LFS about 1 time a month. But I have these set ups in 3 tanks so x 3. Here I have a sandwich up against the egg crate weir water fall. The other half just has a big clump floating and growing like crazy too. The display a 120 is heavily stocked, the nitrate runs low to 0. But I do have some phosphates in this tank runs 1-2. No nuisance algaes though and the corals and well fed fish are healthy. I have 3 large tangs. I am also skimming. And run miracle mud in all my refugiums. Several key factors affect how well your chaeto grows. For one thing, a well designed refugium suited for the size tank it is gonna serve is important. I follow the design and size recommendations on ecosystem aquariums web site. One of the most important aspects of design is surface water skimming. The surface water should be clean for proper gas exchange and light penetration. Water coming into the refugium area is also mid depth on all my refugiums. This cycles the nutrients between the mud and the sandwich close to the surface causing a flow through effect. Lastly, proper rate of flow through a refugium is important. They also have a chart for this on ecosystem aquarium. BTW, I am not in anyway affiliated with ecosystem aquarium but I have followed there guidelines and have had great success for many years![emoji106][emoji4]

 

[Drewbacca]

Here is an idea I have been using for a while. A friend of mine thought it was interesting and useful and wanted me to post . Basically I tie wrap two panels of egg crate lighting panel cut to size of refugium space desired. 1 box width sides. Cut the side pieces leaving pins on both sides to interlock the two panels. Tie wrap one panel to sides, bottom, and top. Place Chaeto inside panels and close shut with small tie wraps. Place in refugium 1-2" from waters surface. You could hold it in place with suction cups.Flip the whole panel periodically to get growth on both sides. When it is grown full and thick, pull it out and let it drain over refugium, creatures will fall out too. Trim both sides along panel squares with a sharp scraper type blade. Put it in a bag and take it to your LFS and tell him you want store credit for your Chaeto!

Still using this? I def see how it would keep gha from growing on lower walls & bottom! Do you ever get gha growing on eggcrate or the little bit of walls that ARE exposed? Light? Im using kessil h160 & get lots of gha, so going to try this! Whats your flow? Anyone u know with direct drain pipe into sump using this?
Thanks!

 

[Rjramos]

Still using this? I def see how it would keep gha from growing on lower walls & bottom! Do you ever get gha growing on eggcrate or the little bit of walls that ARE exposed? Light? Im using kessil h160 & get lots of gha, so going to try this! Whats your flow? Anyone u know with direct drain pipe into sump using this?
Thanks!

Since last year when I had to restart my 120 gal reef, I have not placed the egg crate sandwich back in. I just have the chaeto lose in the refugium. It’s growing, but not as good as I had it going. Been experimenting with lighting too. Had 2 65 watt PC’s before but now with a homemade 45 watt LED, that I need to dim down. Gonna set up the sandwich again cause I am also gettin nuisance algae’s.

 

[s2nhle]

Wow that is awesome.

 

[s2nhle]

wow, that is awesome

 

[Dom]

This idea just solved a problem I am trying to fix.

How do I resection an old Eshopps, 2 chamber wet/dry sump to add a refugium?

This is the answer. Thank you.

 

[Drewbacca]

Since last year when I had to restart my 120 gal reef, I have not placed the egg crate sandwich back in. I just have the chaeto lose in the refugium. It’s growing, but not as good as I had it going. Been experimenting with lighting too. Had 2 65 watt PC’s before but now with a homemade 45 watt LED, that I need to dim down. Gonna set up the sandwich again cause I am also gettin nuisance algae’s.

Sorry to hear, I put some black plexi against my baffle with an aquamesh stage 1 strip on top of the baffle like brs did on the triton setup. The black plexi never gets hga growing on it even tho it groes on glass and the black water change pump i have sitting in there. Going to line the rest of the fuge with it to prevent hga. Also the aquamesh strip collects the chaeto strands that come loose and it grows out from there as well...and creates a natural filter at the top of the baffle

 

[Bryson.bobby]

Anyone still using this method?

 

[lariat8099]

How many hours a day do you leave the light on over chaeto?

 

[Drewbacca]

Anyone still using this method?

I wanted to use this to defeat hair algae by fitting crate to whole area, but reduced light to 8 hrs to allow for above 0.00 phosphates and that stopped hair algae. (Along with the fact the chaeto grew to a size that covered most area & outcompeted gha for light & nutrients)
I love looking at a clean cheato filled fuge

 

[BornHandy]

Nicely done! If nothing else, reefers will innovate!