Chaeto not tumbling

[ThunderGoose]

How do folk get their chaeto to tumble in their sump? I have a powerhead in with the chaeto but it doesn't seem to do anything. I tried reducing the amount. No change.

My sump is short a chamber so I used egg crate to separate the skimmer and the chaeto. Could this be the problem? Does the chaeto chamber need four solid walls?

Thanks!

 

[Higher Thinking]

How do folk get their chaeto to tumble in their sump? I have a powerhead in with the chaeto but it doesn't seem to do anything. I tried reducing the amount. No change.

My sump is short a chamber so I used egg crate to separate the skimmer and the chaeto. Could this be the problem? Does the chaeto chamber need four solid walls?

Thanks!

I don't know where the idea of "tumbling" came from, but it seems pretty ridiculous. Have you seen photos of this stuff growing in the wild? ...Big old patches affixed to the ground. I'm sure there is some floating around in the ocean somewhere. I've never, ever seen someone post any scientific benefit to doing this. If there is some research, I'd love to see it. Just put it in the water, add some light, call it a day.

For example, my sump has a compartment that's about ten by five inches. I started with a small piece and it has grown into a super dense, tightly packed square. Then I rip out a bunch and it grows right back. Not only is it not tumbling, but it grows so tight and jam packed.

 

[ReeferDave01]

About once a week I take tongs and flip Chaeto upside down so all sides get good exposure. Grows like weed

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You don't need to tumble chato.

 

[hart24601]

In the years I have been running chaeto, at least a decade on and off, I have never once had it tumble. Not to say I don’t flip it every so often or clean out detritus, but never tumbled.

 

[ThunderGoose]

I'm glad to hear that I don't need to tumble the chaeto. It makes my life easier. Thanks all!

 

[JacklePappy]

But.... tumbling is cool... I used a plastic mixing bucket, drilled holes and piped the outlet of my initial filtration/bio-balls holder into the bucket to spin the chaeto. That said, I'm still trying to figure out how much light the stuff needs to grow. Is there a rule of thumb for light type/wattage per inch depth? I'm sure there must be, just haven't searched hard enough to find it, yet.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

But.... tumbling is cool... I used a plastic mixing bucket, drilled holes and piped the outlet of my initial filtration/bio-balls holder into the bucket to spin the chaeto. That said, I'm still trying to figure out how much light the stuff needs to grow. Is there a rule of thumb for light type/wattage per inch depth? I'm sure there must be, just haven't searched hard enough to find it, yet.

About a 100 par or so at the top ime.

 

[reefndude]

Yep mine doesn't tumble and grows like mad.

 

[jd371]

It doesn't need to tumble, mine doesn't and it grows fine. I do occasionally manually flip it so the underside gets some light too.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I always though , when looking at tumbling chato, that must blow all the sump junk right back up into the display.