Chaeto inquiry

Drummingbaker2010 · Mar 10, 2022

Hello there. I have some Chaeto in my refugium, and my nitrates and phosphates were on the high side. I added 2 bottles of trigger pods, and most of my other parameters seem to be stable, but I didn't notice any drop in phosphate or nitrate levels. I have a 32 gallon biocube and I modified the sump in the back to create the refugium, and I'm just curious what I might be doing wrong? I have a quite a large clump, and I am pulling it apart and trying to circulate it by hand due to the fact that I don't have the space in the back to add a tumbler or tumble like action to it. I'm open for suggestions and ideas.

rmorris_14 · Mar 10, 2022

Drummingbaker2010 said:
Hello there. I have some Chaeto in my refugium, and my nitrates and phosphates were on the high side. I added 2 bottles of trigger pods, and most of my other parameters seem to be stable, but I didn't notice any drop in phosphate or nitrate levels. I have a 32 gallon biocube and I modified the sump in the back to create the refugium, and I'm just curious what I might be doing wrong? I have a quite a large clump, and I am pulling it apart and trying to circulate it by hand due to the fact that I don't have the space in the back to add a tumbler or tumble like action to it. I'm open for suggestions and ideas.

Do you do water changes? Did you try doing a large water change to lower the nitrates and then see if it maintains the lower number? Your chaeto might not be large enough to lower your nutrients but it could be large enough to help stabilize them..... If that makes sense. Just a thought, i'm no expert. We are limited with the amount of space in the back of the biocube, so maybe the water change will help get to where you want to be and then the Chaeto can help keep you there.

Drummingbaker2010 · Mar 10, 2022

I try do 5 gallon changes on a 32 gallon tank weekly, yes. I did daily water changes to bring my nitrates down to 5 ppm or less because I was adding a GSP, but before that, no, it was about 40-80 ppm, with the chaeto in there. It has a light and everything.

rmorris_14 said:
Do you do water changes? Did you try doing a large water change to lower the nitrates and then see if it maintains the lower number? Your chaeto might not be large enough to lower your nutrients but it could be large enough to help stabilize them..... If that makes sense. Just a thought, i'm no expert. We are limited with the amount of space in the back of the biocube, so maybe the water change will help get to where you want to be and then the Chaeto can help keep you there. It is quite a large ball.