Giant Chaeto Tumbler

[TX_REEF]

Hello friends! I have been for a while now growing chaeto in a "sterile" system (separate from my fish and coral systems), and have been somewhat successful with using a 25 gallon stock tank with whirlpool type flow. I was initially inspired by this awesome video:

My current system does a good job of growing chaeto, but because it's a whirlpool type flow, there is still the underside of the chaeto ball that does receive direct light.

My new intended project is to cut a 55 gallon water barrel in half top to bottom, and place it on a "v-shaped" wooden base that will prevent it from "rolling" and then utilize the shape of the half barrel to create a convection-type circular flow that would tumble chaeto like in the video above. Does anyone have any ideas for how best to accomplish this effectively? I'm mostly concerned with how to create the necessary flow without having pumps getting clogged up with chaeto, which is a problem I currently face.

Thanks for your consideration!

 

[Subsea]

Use a differrent macro algae. I run fishless ornamental macro algae growout tanks. In my experience, Chaeto is not a good candidate to tumble because of its tenacity to stick together. Even with the above setup, the macro in the interior is sunlight limited.

Try Gracilaria Hayi. This 55G tank is operated with a Mag7 pump and one air stone. The Mag 7 at bottom right generates flow from right to left at tank bottom. When flow gets to opposite side, an air bubbler lifts water to top where it flows from left to right carrying seaweed in a vertical loop current.

 

[TX_REEF]

Use a differrent macro algae. I run fishless ornamental macro algae growout tanks. In my experience, Chaeto is not a good candidate to tumble because of its tenacity to stick together. Even with the above setup, the macro in the interior is sunlight limited.

Try Gracilaria Hayi. The 55G tank is operated with a Mag7 pump and one air stone. The Mag 7 at bottom right generates flow from right to left at tank bottom. When flow gets to opposite side, an air bubbler lifts water to top where it flows from left to right carrying seaweed in a vertical loop current.

thank you for the thoughtful input, and cool setup!

 

[exnisstech]

I ran chaeto in several sumps for years. It never tumbled and grew just fine. Sometimes I would reach in and flip it over but it was very random.

 

[Subsea]

When I researched commercial seaweed growout systems, a long V-shaped tank with an air curtain at bottom of V is similar to your barrel cut in half. The air curtain lifted seaweed to top where flow separated to both sides of long tank

 

[TX_REEF]

I ran chaeto in several sumps for years. It never tumbled and grew just fine. Sometimes I would reach in and flip it over but it was very random.

totally agreed - I'm treating this more as a vanity/aesthetic project

 

[TX_REEF]

When I researched commercial seaweed growout systems, a long V-shaped tank with an air curtain at bottom of V is similar to your barrel cut in half. The air curtain lifted seaweed to top where flow separated to both sides of long tank

that's a neat idea too! I've already purchased my barrel on discount though so maybe next time...

 

[geologeek]

Could you put a light through the centre and have a slightly larger cylinder of mesh to attach the chaeto to, so it can be lit from the middle as well as from above/sides?

Got access to a 3d printer? Or even it could be done with some pvc/abs pipe, but I'm thinking of bearing type gizmos at each end, that the tube of some sort if mesh fits in, and the light goes down the centre of this.....attach cheato to the cylinder and get it spinning......then it will get light from both sides and less likely to have die off in the centre?