Why refugium/cheato if you don’t want to bottom out phosphates and nitrates?

[JoeinLA]

When I started my tank, I read that growing cheato in a refugium was a good way to control nutrients. My system (85 gal + 10 gal sump) currently runs phosphates at .04 to .1 and nitrates at 4.5-6 (I have to dose approx. 5 ml of nitrates per day otherwise I lose approx. .5 nitrates/day). These are numbers from the Hanna checkers.

I am currently trying to have less turf algae. If I can’t “starve it out” since I need nutrients for corals and I don’t want to bottom out Phosphates and Nitrates, then I’m not sure why I’m bothering with the Cheato (since, again, it can’t be so “successful” as to get me to 0 phosphates and nitrates)? Presumably, if I removed the Cheato, my phosphates might rise but I’m guessing my nitrates would just require me to dose less (or perhaps not at all)? I was thinking I could just use RowaPhos to keep my phosphates low.

Anyways, I’m now wondering why I’m bothering with the Cheato. I haven’t had great success growing it – it doesn’t die, but doesn’t seem to really grow well either, and it takes up a decent portion of my relative small sump while also creating a bit of mess. I suppose you'd run Cheato if you can't control phosphates and nitrates via other methods? But it seems like if you're already at low phosphates and nitrates, there's no reason for a refugium/cheato?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

ps., I guess you could also run cheato purely for a ph balance at night?

 

[Rmckoy]

As the cheato grows it will consume more nutrients .
keep it trimmed back to balance what it’s consuming

 

[Nano sapiens]

Considering that it is certainly possible for a reef aquarium to run perfectly fine without Chaeto, you are correct to question what it is actually doing for your system.

Since gradual changes are best, perhaps the best way to find out is to slowly start to remove portions of the Chaeto over time and monitor the changes (if any). You may find that it is helping control NO3/PO4, or it's not doing much in that regard (especially if it's not growing/being harvested).

Having macro on a reverse light cycle can help raise pH at night via photosynthesis. This may or may not be necessary in your system. Chaeto can also be a haven for 'Pods, worms and such and some people keep it for that reason, too.

 

[Dan_P]

When I started my tank, I read that growing cheato in a refugium was a good way to control nutrients. My system (85 gal + 10 gal sump) currently runs phosphates at .04 to .1 and nitrates at 4.5-6 (I have to dose approx. 5 ml of nitrates per day otherwise I lose approx. .5 nitrates/day). These are numbers from the Hanna checkers.

I am currently trying to have less turf algae. If I can’t “starve it out” since I need nutrients for corals and I don’t want to bottom out Phosphates and Nitrates, then I’m not sure why I’m bothering with the Cheato (since, again, it can’t be so “successful” as to get me to 0 phosphates and nitrates)? Presumably, if I removed the Cheato, my phosphates might rise but I’m guessing my nitrates would just require me to dose less (or perhaps not at all)? I was thinking I could just use RowaPhos to keep my phosphates low.

Anyways, I’m now wondering why I’m bothering with the Cheato. I haven’t had great success growing it – it doesn’t die, but doesn’t seem to really grow well either, and it takes up a decent portion of my relative small sump while also creating a bit of mess. I suppose you'd run Cheato if you can't control phosphates and nitrates via other methods? But it seems like if you're already at low phosphates and nitrates, there's no reason for a refugium/cheato?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

ps., I guess you could also run cheato purely for a ph balance at night?

If are dosing nitrate, get rid of the Chaeto, right?

 

[mdb_talon]

If are dosing nitrate, get rid of the Chaeto, right?

Depends what the goal of cheato is for you. If it's only about reducing nitrates then I agree.

I love cheato. Harvest about 2/3 of a 5g bucket a week. It helps my ph and a great place for pods to grow. It also of course reduces nutrients and even though I feed a massive amount of food daily and still dose nitrates I would never get rid of my cheato

 

[Lavey29]

Depends what the goal of cheato is for you. If it's only about reducing nitrates then I agree.

I love cheato. Harvest about 2/3 of a 5g bucket a week. It helps my ph and a great place for pods to grow. It also of course reduces nutrients and even though I feed a massive amount of food daily and still dose nitrates I would never get rid of my cheato

I agree, just like the natural approach too

 

[JoeinLA]

I suppose the Cheato is, then, "no harm no foul" as it's already there and doing its thing. I may consider removing it if I need the space, given the overall thoughts from the posts here.

thanks for the thoughts/suggestions - it's always helpful to get other's perspectives and experiences.

 

[Miami Reef]

First, I don’t grow cheato (no room).

There are benefits of growing cheato besides for lowering nutrients. Raising pH (especially when used as a reverse day cycle), and a place for copepods and micro crustaceans to take refuge are just a few examples.

 

[92Miata]

Because reef ecosystems are more complicated than suspended inorganic phosphate test numbers.

Corals need a certain amount of phosphate. They can get it via absorbing inorganic phosphate in the water column (this is the only thing you can test), they can also get it from consuming bacteria, plankton, and via some organic other sources. You can't test for any of those.


It is perfectly possible (and a lot of people do) to grow corals with 0 inorganic phosphates in the water column. Your corals just need to be getting enough phosphate those other ways. Some people feed a TON of food and have tons of fish, and have constant 0.00 readings, and run GFO, and are fine. It's more complicated than a single number.