Can your chaeto become a detritus/nutrient trap?

[saltyhog]

Life has gotten in the way and I haven't thinned my chaeto in several weeks. The ball had completely filled its chamber in the sump. When I started thinning it there were gobs of white to pink accumulations of detritus throughout the ball. I also found my nitrates have risen about 2 points in the last month.

Anyone had chaeto become a detritus trap?

 

[ca1ore]

Sure, Chaeto is an excellent mechanical filter medium. In fact, eheim sells (or used to sell?) a filter material that is essentially a plastic version of chaeto. It was called Ehfifix.

 

[dbl]

Mine definitely is, especially since my fuge is fed directly from the display. I keep a few crabs in the fuge to help.

 

[mfinn]

When my refugium gets full I usually give it away by the gallon bag full, I tell people to take some tank water and rinse the cheato cause I know it's going to be full of detritus.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Yeah it can be for sure. Regular removal of chaeto will keep ditritus from building up.