Will Cheato grow downward?

[Mendozau89]

Hi Reef 2 Reef.
I think I have 1 pretty simple question today and a normal one.
I recently purchase a GEO Cheato reactor and I’m loving it so for.
Question 1- in the reactor water is pumped to the bottom and the flows up and out, my Cheato got pushed to the top of the reactor by the flow and I’m wondering if it will grow downward toward the light and against the flow?
The conclusion of my research suggests yes but I’d like to confirm if possible.

Question 2- I have plenty of nitrates, plenty of flow and plenty of light, the Cheato is seemingly growing but I kind of expected it to burst in growth, any idea what might be holding it back?

Thank you Reef 2Reef!

 

[AetherealKnight]

Trace Minerals? Maybe it needs iron? You could try chaetogro. It works well for me.

 

[Mendozau89]

Trace Minerals? Maybe it needs iron? You could try chaetogro. It works well for me.

Excuse my ignorance but I thought the idea was for the Cheato to grow using the unwanted nitrates and phosphates, will this still be happening if I feed it with something like Cheatogro?

 

[BristleWormHater]

Trace Minerals? Maybe it needs iron? You could try chaetogro. It works well for me.

Bingo! Iron is very important! Chaetogro works but brightwell has another product that's just iron and I've heard that one works better.
I've only used Chaetogro so far

 

[BristleWormHater]

Excuse my ignorance but I thought the idea was for the Cheato to grow using the unwanted nitrates and phosphates, will this still be happening if I feed it with something like Cheatogro?

Chaetogro is just trace elements, not nutrients. It has iron, cobalt, molybdenum. These help with plant and macroalgae growth.

 

[AetherealKnight]

Excuse my ignorance but I thought the idea was for the Cheato to grow using the unwanted nitrates and phosphates, will this still be happening if I feed it with something like Cheatogro?

Yeah as Bristleormhater said chaetogro literally adds no phosphates to your tank just trace minerals.

Pic from their website

 

[Mendozau89]

Chaetogro is just trace elements, not nutrients. It has iron, cobalt, molybdenum. These help with plant and macroalgae growth.

Got it.
Will something like Complete Trace also work, at least while I get my hands on one of these other products?

 

[Mendozau89]

Any thoughts on whether or not it will grow downward or in any direction toward light?

 

[AetherealKnight]

Any thoughts on whether or not it will grow downward or in any direction toward light?

Mine usually grows downward

 

[KrisReef]

Chaeto seems to fill up any space it is confined to, with time. I suspect growing down is one of its specialties.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Got it.
Will something like Complete Trace also work, at least while I get my hands on one of these other products?

I cannot find any info on what is in Api Complete Trace. So idk :confused-face:
@Randy Holmes-Farley Do you know what's in this stuff?