AIO chaeto success stories?

[Calm Blue Ocean]

In my quest for stable parameters, I'm investigating as many ideas as possible. Next on the list, chaeto in an AIO back chamber. It seems some people have surprising success doing this...and others have epic failure.

I was considering using an inTank fuge basket with possibly a submersible light like the GEM5.

Tank is 50g and about 14 months old. I have a distinct lack of algae in the main display in spite of elevated PO4. It would actually be a nice bonus to be able to grow a little something that my CUC could munch on occasionally.

Doomed to fail?

 

[landlubber]

the issue is surface area.
the top of your AIO can certainly grow chaeto but if you're only limited to the top (2"-4" maybe) catching light you're going to struggle to see a negligible impact on nutrient uptake.
now if you had a clear back panel to the AIO you could probably light the entire back panel and macro would likely grow.

 

[Montiman]

I had tried chateo in AIO chambers in the past and never had success. I recently decided to try again but this time really commit to it and take what I had learned from big systems to heart.

1. Chaeto needs to have enough room at least 10% of tank volume is ideal. Even in an nano this 1-2 gallons.
2. Chaeto needs micro nutrients. Every time I have tried chaeto even if it is in a large tank I get "random" crashes unless supplementing with some mico nutrient source.
3. Lighting is key. I never get good filtration unless the lighting is as strong or stronger than in my display lighting.

So on my office biocube I removed the entire media basket put in a tray of Ecosystems miracle mud and added 2 submersible tunze ecochic lights. This is what the back of the tank looks like. Sorry it is nasty. I don't normally clean the back.

This is the first time I have been happy with chaeto in an AIO. Nutrients are kept low even with good feedings and a neglectful water change schedule.