qt for chaeto?

lagatbezan · Sep 28, 2017

Okay so I want to add some Chaeto to my sump but don't want to risk introducing any parasites or bugs. I know its highly unlikely but I'm not willing to risk it without a thorough qt.
I know I can keep it in a small tank with a light and small power head for +72 days and that will eliminate ich and velvet but how do you go about prevention from uronema contamination? any suggestions or advice?

CodyRVA · Sep 28, 2017

I'd be far more concerned with hitch hikers. Pretty common when buying chaeto to find a plethora of critters... some good, some bad.

Humblefish · Sep 28, 2017

The chaeto itself is only likely to carry free swimmers - inadvertently stuck on the plant in a droplet of water. Those will be gone without a fish host to feed upon in 48 hrs (for ich) or 15 days (for velvet).

However, chaeto often comes with pods and those have a hard exoskeleton which could theoretically host the tomont stage. So, I would use a coral dip and make sure no dead pods are left behind.

CodyRVA · Sep 28, 2017

I've received chaeto with aptasia, asterina stars, bristle worms, brittle stars, limpets, stomatellas and obviously pods.

cccharliecc · Jan 22, 2018

If you buy it from algea barn it is cleaned already.
https://www.algaebarn.com/product/cleanchaeto/

coweyes298 · Jan 27, 2018

I bought chaeto 2 times from AlgaeBarn. Did bayer dip and 14 days qt in a 5 gallon bucket with dosing NO3 to 5 ~10 ppm and a fluorescent light. But after qt the chaeto became brownish and brittle. They eventually faded in my DT sump...

I am thinking of giving algeabarn a try again. But would only bayer dip and qt for 2 days this time. AlgaeBarn's marco algae is super clean, I cannot see much of pods dead body after bayer dip. And they said their marco algae is in a fishless system the whole time, so it maybe ok to do 2 days qt and bit the bullet.

chrissreef · Jan 27, 2018

I bought a little and rinsed it (in freshwater lol) and dipped it like i do corals.

Neo Jeo · Feb 16, 2018

Is it really ok to bayer dip Cheto?

Big G · Feb 16, 2018

Just did the 16 day qt of chaeto & sea lettuce from Algae Barn. Dipped in Bayer and rinsed with saltwater. Kept in 5 gal. bucket of tank water. Light 9 hours per day and aeration for about 1 hour each day to circulate the water. The chaeto declined in health and it's in my tank sump so we'll see if it recovers. The amazing thing is the sea lettuce. It's thriving in the sump. Good lighting, good circulation, good water quality. Kinda digging the sea lettuce. It's a first for my tank. Thoughts anyone?

Neo Jeo · Feb 17, 2018

Big G said:
Just did the 16 day qt of chaeto & sea lettuce from Algae Barn. Dipped in Bayer and rinsed with saltwater. Kept in 5 gal. bucket of tank water. Light 9 hours per day and aeration for about 1 hour each day to circulate the water. The chaeto declined in health and it's in my tank sump so we'll see if it recovers. The amazing thing is the sea lettuce. It's thriving in the sump. Good lighting, good circulation, good water quality. Kinda digging the sea lettuce. It's a first for my tank. Thoughts anyone?

I’m getting my chaeto today delivered. Now AB says it’s been clean and QT but I guess I’ll do it also. What’s your Bayer to water ratio ? I really don’t want to mess that one up lol. Then you dip it a few times in salt water? Do you soak it for 15min in the Bayer?

Big G · Feb 17, 2018

10 ml of Bayer to 4 ounces of tank water. Soak for 15 minutes. Rinse and soak in a clean bowl of tank water for another 15 min. And once more rinse and soak in clean tank water for another 15 min.

Here's the link that was the most helpful to me for using Bayer. I use the same above method for all corals. On corals I follow with another dip of Coral RX for it's antiseptic qualities, after the clean dips.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bayer-insecticide-as-a-coral-dip.100496/#post-1112051

cccharliecc · Feb 18, 2018

I bought chaeto from Algae Barn a couple weeks ago and just shook it out and dropped it right in my sump...it’s cleaned and qt’d there already. I looked at it under a jewelers loupe and it looked clean.

coweyes298 · Feb 21, 2018

I will try another round of AlgaeBarn chaeto. I am planning not to qt them this time. I did qt last two round with their chaeto for two weeks but they all faded in my sump afterwards. AlgaeBarn's stuff is so clean, couldn't find much of pods in their chaeto as well...