How to get Chaeto to tumble

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Hi All,

I got a batch of Chaeto from a kind reefer a few weeks back. I am using a tunze refugium light.

The light just manages to light the surface of the chaeto. Then I repositioned the light to shine from the bottom. Still the same issue of the amount of light reaching the chaeto further away from the light. I noticed that some youtube videos show the chaeto tumbling and spinning. They say that the tumbling effect is from the flow of the water but given the constraints I have, I was wondering if I can create the same effect with a spray bar or use a bubble curtain? Anyone has tried these and how did you achieve it? Using air or water?

Thank you.
 

Jekyl

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Hi All,

I got a batch of Chaeto from a kind reefer a few weeks back. I am using a tunze refugium light.

The light just manages to light the surface of the chaeto. Then I repositioned the light to shine from the bottom. Still the same issue of the amount of light reaching the chaeto further away from the light. I noticed that some youtube videos show the chaeto tumbling and spinning. They say that the tumbling effect is from the flow of the water but given the constraints I have, I was wondering if I can create the same effect with a spray bar or use a bubble curtain? Anyone has tried these and how did you achieve it? Using air or water?

Thank you.
Maybe a very small powerhead?
 

AlgaeBarn

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Hi All,

I got a batch of Chaeto from a kind reefer a few weeks back. I am using a tunze refugium light.

The light just manages to light the surface of the chaeto. Then I repositioned the light to shine from the bottom. Still the same issue of the amount of light reaching the chaeto further away from the light. I noticed that some youtube videos show the chaeto tumbling and spinning. They say that the tumbling effect is from the flow of the water but given the constraints I have, I was wondering if I can create the same effect with a spray bar or use a bubble curtain? Anyone has tried these and how did you achieve it? Using air or water?

Thank you.
You would likely get the best results by using water to move/tumble the chaeto vs air. Do you have a picture of your refugium?
 

Goodair

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You need to bribe the cheato to roll, how much it takes will vary cheato to chaeto.

What makes it roll is how the water moves in the chamber, which is dicatated by the design of the sump. Air pump prob wont have an affect unless it's fairly stronger than a standard air bubbler. Your just going to have to find a way to manipulate the water movement with a small pump. The spray bar could work.
 

DrMMI

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I added a small maxijet pump under my chaeto and it caused the growth to explode. I do have to clean out the intake nozzle fairly regularly though because it keeps getting clogged with loose strands.
 

ClownWrangler

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I added a small maxijet pump under my chaeto and it caused the growth to explode. I do have to clean out the intake nozzle fairly regularly though because it keeps getting clogged with loose strands.

I found this out as well. I experimented with two "hang on refugiums" for small tanks. One was made with a hang on breeder box and the small pump that came with it, and the other an aquaclear 70 HOB filter with chaeto in the compartment. The tank with the breeder box refugium requires far more water changes and it even has more lighting on the chaeto. The chaeto in the aquaclear grows like crazy with a small overhead light. Light penetrates chaeto pretty well, its the high flow that gives it faster growth so long as the lighting is adequate.
 

PeterC99

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Chaeto tumbling in the refugium is the holy grail of reef keeping.

Most of us are happy with a chaeto refugium with good flow and lighting. Gave up on the tumbling awhile ago And my chaeto grows well giving me low PO4 and NO 3.
 

ClownWrangler

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Chaeto tumbling in the refugium is the holy grail of reef keeping.

Most of us are happy with a chaeto refugium with good flow and lighting. Gave up on the tumbling awhile ago And my chaeto grows well giving me low PO4 and NO 3.

I have a tumbling GHA ball in one of my tanks, does that count?
 

ClownWrangler

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Some of the best ideas in the world are came up with by accident. It's a simple fluid mechanics problem. Just pretend this BTA is a ball of chaeto and you get the idea. Use a punch bowl as big as you can fit in your refugium. Generating a vortex like this can either be accomplished with flow horizontal over the top, or downward into the bowl toward the edge. This will teach my unruly BTA to stay in one place. Lol.




Disclaimer: No animals were harmed during the making of this clip.... much, it just puked a little afterwards.
 

ClownWrangler

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This one is from a while ago. Just a downward spray bar. I wish I got it on video when the shrimp was riding it. Eventually chaeto will lodge itself and stop spinning if it outgrows the space, but I think the punch bowl idea might prevent this.

 

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