This is Chaeto and...?

[Joeg]

I harvested the algae below from my sump and was surprised to see that there was something other than the chaeto. The non-chaeto algae is much denser, heavier and mat-like. I've delayed harvesting for about 8 weeks and noticed that I have some GHA taking a foothold in the display. I'm thinking that this is also what's grown in the sump but it's hard to visualize GHA out of the water. Any thoughts about what I have here?

 

[Spare time]

Yeah just looks like some form of green hair algae.

 

[Rjramos]

They are both chaeto. I’ve heard there are differnent types, but I believe they take on different form depending on light given and nutrients available. The one on the right stays low in the refugium, the one on the left floats.

 

[Joeg]

Thank you both for your thoughts. It certainly was tied to the orientation. The brillo-looking chaeto was low in the water and the thicker mat was on top. I don't have any tumble in that sump chamber which I should probably correct....I should probably clean my sump more often too

 

[shakacuz]

They are both chaeto. I’ve heard there are differnent types, but I believe they take on different form depending on light given and nutrients available. The one on the right stays low in the refugium, the one on the left floats.

i believe there are two chaeto species. the bottom(thinner) could very well be the other “strain”/species of chaeto.

i have no experience with what both look side by side. my chaeto looks like the top.