How to get cheato to NOT float?

Brandon M · #1 12/04/2007, 02:46 PM

Is there a way I can hold my cheato down in my fuge? With a rock maybe?

My problem is that I have a hard time getting really good flow in my fuge. My fuge is fairly small...only around 7g in my 20g tall sump. I have around 25-50% of my tank output split going into my fuge, with my skimmer side getting the rest and the return pump in the middle, but its not very much movement. Every time I try and put a maxijet in there (maxijet 400) it gets clogged very easily and within a few days I have to clean it. With such low movement in my fuge my cheato ends up floating on top of the water and getting a nasty film on the top. I have to then clean it very often.

Anyone have any ideas? I can get some pic's when I get home if necessary.

Thanks for the help!

clevengergl · #2 12/04/2007, 02:56 PM

You might try spreading the chaeto out a bit and dropping a few pices of LR rubble into it to keep it submerged. And regarding the flow, you want to have a fairly low flow rate to increase your water's interface time with the macroalgae, thus allowing for more nitrate reduction.

Just my $0.02

Brandon M · #3 12/04/2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by clevengergl
You might try spreading the chaeto out a bit and dropping a few pices of LR rubble into it to keep it submerged. And regarding the flow, you want to have a fairly low flow rate to increase your water's interface time with the macroalgae, thus allowing for more nitrate reduction.

Just my $0.02

Thanks for the reply, I will try the spreading out method when I get home.

When I initially added the cheato to the fuge it grew like crazy, probably quadrupled in size within a couple weeks. Since then it's been around 4-6 weeks and I haven't seen very much growth. I just figure I don't have as many nitrates and phosphates for the cheato to grow off of as I used to.

The good news is I have seen a huge population of pods and creatures in my fuge, I just need to get this nasty film off the top of my cheato.

mg426 · #4 12/04/2007, 03:37 PM

Do you prune your Chaeto every week or so ????

Brandon M · #5 12/04/2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mg426
Do you prune your Chaeto every week or so ????

I really haven't seen enough growth recently for pruning to be an option. I did back when I added it and it grew like crazy, though.

yoboyjdizz · #6 12/04/2007, 04:35 PM

i thought chaeto liked flow?

Brandon M · #7 12/04/2007, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yoboyjdizz
i thought chaeto liked flow?

Why does mine keep collecting grim/nasty on the top of it?

I have had a problem with cyano in my fuge but I came to the conclusion that I should not worry about it because it is not in my display and it is extracting nutrients in my fuge.

There is also many small bubbles in the grim on top of my cheato, is this normal?

SaltyDr · #8 12/04/2007, 05:10 PM

Make sure you flip over the chaeto every few days. I also pull it apart when I do this. It seems to grow faster than when its in a tight clump.

Agu · #9 12/04/2007, 05:59 PM

As SaltyDr said you want the chaeto to tumble or tou have to turn it over manually. My fuge is tiny and just flippimg the chaeto every few days eliminates the slime and bubbles.

yoboyjdizz · #10 12/04/2007, 08:48 PM

so should we add a small power head in our fuge or no?

zhenjw · #11 12/05/2007, 01:05 AM

Tagging along...any specific recommendations for the brand/gph pump to circulate in a small fuge? I had a 2970 and it uh...kind of just made fuge puree. Pretty smart huh.

Blown 346 · #12 12/05/2007, 01:10 AM

For it to not float, break it up. You also might want to swish it in a bucket with water change water to get the nasties off of it. I usually tak emine out shake the water off of it and it will sink back down. You do want to the chaeto to get water flow and light all around or the dark side will die.

Snausy · #13 12/05/2007, 11:38 AM

Weird because my big clump just sits on the bottom of my fuge. It's never floated. Drops like a rock when I flip it...

It's not growing that much though, even with 24/7 lighting and the bulbs hanging overhead that were suggested in melev's article.

onecrzyboi4u · #14 12/05/2007, 12:21 PM

For my fuge.. i beefed up my flow to clean up the nastys in there. ( detritus). with the extra flow my cheato grows faster and i can tell a difference in my tank.

snausy-- what kind of light you using? also if your fuge is new you might have to kick start it by adding iron directly to your fuge . I just did a months worth.. mine is booming.

Also if your wanting lots of pods.. i would add DT"s directly to the fuge every 3 days..