Chaeto Test Part II: Closing out the old and introducing the next evolution! | BRS Investigates

Ryanbrs

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I tried a refugium when I first started reefing and I did not have much growth and eventually abandoned it. Ive decided to give it another try and I have my H380 in hand. If youre going to do something, might as well do the best you can.

If it wasnt for this video series I doubt I would have interest, but now I cant wait to get things set up. The only thing is Ive also learned the importance of quarantine so I am going to have to wait my 76 days before that green ball can get in my display tank out of quarantine.

Thanks BRS! You guys are awesome.
Solid move on the quarantine. Cheato can have all kinds of other organisms in it.
 

Berlibee

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So what is the point of keeping No3 and Po4 at zero if the reefing trend changing and most of the people agree now that nutrients levels should be at the detectable levels ?
 

Outdrsyguy1

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The point for me is that you need to tune your refugium to your personal tank needs. This experiment is awesome because it shows you the capability of chaeto, meaning you likely wont have to spend a fortune on carbon dosing, no3pox, gfo, etc. If you want a more natural method that also boosts your PH inherently then this experiment is a slam dunk. Plus the information on light quality/par also is very important because it shows just how much effect on PH you can have with good lighting and a decent amount of chaeto. "Detectable nutrients" doesn't mean no nutrient reduction. You WILL need to do something to manage nutrients.

BRS team, you guys are really taking this hobby to the next level, your awesomeness knows no bounds! I love the work your doing, PLEASE keep it coming!!!!!
I find myself buying things from BRS even if it's a couple bucks more than some no name low price website, to me their work and experiments are huge in helping people learn and perfect the hobby.
 

bif24701

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I know this kind of goes against what reefers are commonly told but the glass is often enough surface area. That said we also ran an air driven sponge filter on the tanks. I did test for ammonia from time to time but not nitrite. Related to that I think there are a lot of people that suspect that cheato actually prefers ammonia over nitrate as it's nitrogen source. We have been thinking about methods of identifying if that is true.

Also the surface area of the cheato its self is huge and I have no doubt nitrifying bacteria are growing on it.
 

bif24701

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Interesting! My consistent experience with very basic quarantine tanks was that ammonia would not get converted into NO3 without some additional surface for bacteria and quite a bit of bacteria seeding. So just relying on glass surface and water volume was never enough. A good size sponge makes a bit more sense.
Chaeto probably consumes at least some ammonium but not ammonia, which is toxic even to chaeto...

So there you go, at least two more new topics for you to investigate.

Your forgetting the surface area of the cheato which not doubt has bacteria growing on it. That surface area is huge.
 

bif24701

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I have a 75 gallon tank but only a 3 gallon refugium. Initially I thought the space was too small for any nutrient export so it was mainly designed as a place for pods and other micro-fauna to grow.

Do you think the H380 or H80 would make a big difference on cheato growing in such a small space? I might have to empty it every week but I'm ok with that.

It's not my primary export but as I live in an apartment - anything that reduces water changes even once or twice a year is a big deal for me and I'm willing to pay for that.

I think either would certainly increase its effectiveness. Just depends on your budget.
 

bif24701

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So what is the point of keeping No3 and Po4 at zero if the reefing trend changing and most of the people agree now that nutrients levels should be at the detectable levels ?

The results of the phase 1 show that cheato is effective and how lighting can affect it.

Not that it will drive everything to 0.00 on an actual reef system.

Also did you not see their previous video about "are cheato/refugiums too effective?", the video address exactly that.

 

bif24701

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BRS, THANK YOU!
Your contributions to us are adding up and it's amazing how quickly we are evolving now because of you.

I just purchased a LED grow light, and will detail the results of this upgrade as well as I can. I've kept cheato with and LED 5500K bulb from HD and it worked well. But I want more! I will increase the size of my fuge to make the best of this new light and can't wait to see what happens.

I will take some PAR reading also!

Here it is:
8e8803e54368103d84c772b077050df4.jpg
e5445249e3bb1c8e4868b386319fef63.jpg


Draws 136 WATTs! Should be powerful enough to grow something, don't you think?
 

rbraunberger

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I recently purchase the Kessil H380. My issue has been ok macro growth, but crazy growth on the glass!! Any ideas?!

IMG_1345.JPG


IMG_1346.JPG


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IMG_1348.JPG
 

bif24701

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I recently purchase the Kessil H380. My issue has been ok macro growth, but crazy growth on the glass!! Any ideas?!

IMG_1345.JPG


IMG_1346.JPG


IMG_1347.JPG


IMG_1348.JPG

Once the cheato is large enough it will easily out compete all others. BRS had a similar issue to start in phase one with the same light.
 

David Cher

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I would love to see a chaeto reactor put into the mix. I have an existing synergy reef sump that does not have a refugium and a reactor would be much easier to add into the mix. BRS please make that happen.

Agree! Skimz came out such reactor
 

JoshuaBrown

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I paid $50 for this 150w grow led "UFO" It's showing promise in a short amount of time.
If you order it from Fastech, it'll take a little bit to get to you, but I think it's probably the best deal online.
https://www.fasttech.com/p/7186103
20170414_231900.jpg
 

Velcro

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As mentioned earlier in this thread, a chaeto reactor would be an AMAZING test to include.
 

bif24701

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I'm sure that the Kessils 90 watts is far more light than these other Chinese grow lights watt for watt. I am intrigued to know how much.
 

petemichelle

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i can't grow chaeto to save my life. i've tried the kessil purple grow light, i've even got a ARRID chaeto reactor i'm presently trying, but the chaeto just keeps getting smaller and smaller, nitrate around 25, phosphate around 0.15. i've added iron, checked my potassium around 400, still nothing. anybody with any suggestions?"??? are their different strains of chaeto???
 

JoshuaBrown

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I'm sure that the Kessils 90 watts is far more light than these other Chinese grow lights watt for watt. I am intrigued to know how much.

It would have to be 6x more powerful to justify the price difference. Or last 3x longer and be 3x brighter. The kessel is 90watts. If the UFO is really only 50 watts, is 40 watts worth and additional $249?
Unless your goal is to just spend as much as possible to grow nuisance algea to control nutrients, seems like the $50 grow led is the best value to get "Kessel 90w" results..

Chinese led's are wrecking the game in multiple industries.

I've been running the 165w box for 6 months now, love it. And it has a lower actual consumption than advertised, that doesn't change the fact 20/10 blue/white is all my corals can handle in a 29gal biocube. And coral growth is unlike anything I've seen in this tank in 3 years. The led's everyone uses are made in china for the most part, I personally don't have the funds to pay for a nicer package for those same leds.
 
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bif24701

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It would have to be 6x more powerful to justify the price difference. Or last 3x longer and be 3x brighter. The kessel is 90watts. If the UFO is really only 50 watts, is 40 watts worth and additional $249?
Unless your goal is to just spend as much as possible to grow nuisance algea to control nutrients, seems like the $50 grow led is the best value to get "Kessel 90w" results..

Chinese led's are wrecking the game in multiple industries.

I've been running the 165w box for 6 months now, love it. And it has a lower actual consumption than advertised, that doesn't change the fact 20/10 blue/white is all my corals can handle in a 29gal biocube. And coral growth is unlike anything I've seen in this tank in 3 years. The led's everyone uses are made in china for the most part, I personally don't have the funds to pay for a nicer package for those same leds.

I don't think there is anything wrong with these LEDs.

However comparing LEDs Watt to Watt is completely invalid. The Kessil may not push out 6x more light per PAR, but it is possible. The only way to know is to count the amount of photons produced and watts used (actual).

I also order a Chinese light, see above.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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