Looking for Chaeto

[Tomoko Schum]

Does anyone have some chaeto? I decided to give them a try again. I can trade an acro or zoa frag for a small bag of Chaeto.

 

[Ling_Thing]

Does anyone have some chaeto? I decided to give them a try again. I can trade an acro or zoa frag for a small bag of Chaeto.

Algae barn has clean chaeto in stock right now I just ordered some myself.

 

[wadesims2000]

I will give you some

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Great! I have a few things that I can trade for chaetomorpha :)

 

[mehaffydr]

I also have more than I know what to do with I constantly am putting it in my compost bin.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Wadesims2000 is giving me some, but I would like to trade with you as well. I can always use more since Chaeto tends to die in my fuge lately. I can grow some in a 5 gallon bucket as a backup.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Thank you, Mehaffydr, for the bunch of Chaeto!! I hope they will get going in my fuge. It is a very different strain from the one I had before. Your Chaeto is much finer than mine. The upper thicker strands are the remnants of my Chaeto and the lower thinner strands are Mehaffydr's Chaeto. My Chaeto always crumbled once PO4 and NO3 levels in my tank decreased to near zero. They don't necessarily die completely, but they do not grow back. We shall see if Mehaffydr's Chaeto does better in the lower nutrient. I also changed my fuge light to a bit more powerful one. My fuge is purple now:rolleyes:.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Why does R2R attach two pictures? I cannot get rid of one in the edit mode, either.

 

[mehaffydr]

Your very welcome, I hope it grows well for you. It grows like weeds in my refugium.
The Zoas look great they opened right up.

Thank you and it was goo meeting you Tomoko

 

[Tomoko Schum]

It's looking good so far :) and my pH is higher in the morning without keeping the window open through the night for air exchange.
I am glad that you like the zoas.

 

[Monkeynaut]

@Tomoko Schum do you fertilize your tank at all with iron or anything else? Since I am now off Triton I worry the cheato will suffer.
Hopefully there are enough nutrients in the fish poop?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I am dosing Kent Marine iron & manganese supplement (containing iron, manganese, potassium and other micronutrients) once a week. It made a difference in the past (before NO3 bottomed out), but I am just restarting my Chaeto as you know. They are doing well so far. Today's pH range is from 7.99 to 8.22. It was between 8.09 and 8.27 yesterday.

 

[Monkeynaut]

I am going to have to come sit down with you for a lesson on iron supplementation some time soon. It is intimidating to me.
But I know necessary to master.

Edit:
Also my pH has bumped up to 7.8 to 7.95. I am happy with that for now. I want things to get used to the CaRx.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

There is nothing to be afraid of. I just follow the instruction on the bottle, which is quite conservative and safe. I have used Kent Marine's iron supplement for more than 10 years without any problem. You can use Seachem product, such as Flourish Iron, or grind up Fergon Tabs. I even used a little bit of hydroponic iron supplement (Plantex CMS with boron), which I use for my planted tank, without any issue. If I could test for iron and potassium levels easily and accurately, I'd be less conservative.

 

[GWHouston]

I also have more than I know what to do with I constantly am putting it in my compost bin.

I would love to get some of your excess chaeto next time you harvest. Let me know and I’ll drive up. 205-388-6411.

 

[GWHouston]

@Tomoko Schum do you fertilize your tank at all with iron or anything else? Since I am now off Triton I worry the cheato will suffer.
Hopefully there are enough nutrients in the fish poop?

I sent you a pm yesterday asking if you were still on triton. Did it fall short of your expectations? I still cant grow corals in my 120. I believe my Ka got a little low. I’m raising that and my ph now. When I did a water analysis, Iodine was the only thing low.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Update:
My chaetomorpha is growing so well again and sucked up all the nutrients. My nitrate is zero and phosphate is 0 - 0.0 (both by Salifert test kits.)
I feed fish and they poop a lot. My SPS's have not gotten pale, yet, but it may be a matter of time. I suppose that I need to harvest the chaeto.

 

[mehaffydr]

I always have excess I just stay real busy with work and grandkids. Any time you can come by I will share.

 

[Monkeynaut]

What light are u using Tomoko?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I am using an inexpensive grow light I bought on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0PF72P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_bia_widget_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is only 18W, but it works very well.

I have also tried this one, but it turned out not waterproof : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079NM682K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sadly it died due to salty humid air condensing on it. See where it burned?