Cheato in the main tank?

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match55

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
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625
Location
Pleasanton CA
I bought some mangrove and chaeto to help control the nitrate.
but the main tank nitrate seem to remain around 15~20ppm, while my sump stays around 5~10ppm.
so I am wondering if its fine to put some chaeto in the main tank.

will fishes/inverts eat the chaeto?

planning to get
firefish
yellow warrase
pink spotted goby
clown fish
pistol shrimp

already have peppermints, hermits and some snails.

I can put the mangroves, but they stick up too high, so I want to put the chaeto instead, and keep mangroves in the refugium.

wanna make sure it will be fine before I actually do it.

Thanks
 
If your sump is connected to your tank and you are pumping water back and forth, they have to be the same. I would say, given the "accuracy" of the hobby grade test kits we use, the levels are the same.
 
If your sump is connected to your tank and you are pumping water back and forth, they have to be the same. I would say, given the "accuracy" of the hobby grade test kits we use, the levels are the same.

will adding a pre-filter in the return pump effect the nitrate between the two?
 
No, but if it's not cleaned regularly it can contribute to the nitrate level in the system.
 
I'm just thinkning of all the floating food and other detritus that will accumulate in the chaeto up in the main. My vote would be to leave it in the sump too. No way the sump and main should have different readings IMO.

Didja ever discuss the source of the nitrate? Crushed gravel, bio-balls, too many fish, too much food, filtration (or lack thereof), etc, etc?
 
I agree with 'austinsdad'.......there must something strange going on in the display tank if that is happening............also Cheato is basically a weed, good for exporting unwanted nutrients, but once it takes hold in your tank will be a nightmare to remove IMO as even the mallest piece will grow back. Keep it in the sump where it can grow how it likes without ruining the display tank.
 
thanks guys, I am thinking might be my new rocks r having a mini cycle, and make the nitrate different.
I am sure there r tons of flow in the tank, only 1 clown fish, 3 peppermints, 7hermits and some snails.
crushed sand, I do have some, but only a little bit.
 
If your sump is connected to your tank and you are pumping water back and forth, they have to be the same. I would say, given the "accuracy" of the hobby grade test kits we use, the levels are the same.
I was thinking the same thing...
 
How often and how much do you feed your fish. what kind of skimmer do you have? Mangroves take quite some time before you will notice any change in nutrient levels. My mangroves took almost 4-6 months before I noticed any change and it might not even have been the mangroves now that I think about it. More then likely it was my DSB(deep sand bed) kicking in..
 
I have chaeto in my main tank as of now. I just took huge chunks of it, thoroughly washed off a few rubber bands, and then rubber banded the chaeto to a bunch of rocks. It all seems to be growing fine now, and is already starting to grow towards the lights. But be careful about what other plantlife may come with that chaeto. I got some other random plant, and it seems to be taking hold and rooting to everything. The sand, the rocks, on my green star polyps and then some. It's pretty anoying. Also, the chaeto will tear off from time to time, and will be floating around the tank, and could get sucked up in to any of your powerheads, so i would just watch out. I have to clean my powerheads more than normal now because chaeto gets caught on the sides of the powerheads. But overall, i don't see any problems with it. It grows, tons of asterinas pour out of it and on to my glass lol, as well as some really wierd bug looking things, that have taken refuge in my rocks. So yeah.. take it from someone who has done it. It's a little messy, but not that big of a deal. I still wish i had a sump or fuge to put it in.
 
I used to feed the tank every other day, but since I am trying to get my clown to eat, I feel everyday till sunday. I notice something wrong with my corals, so I guess I feed too much. so I go back to every other day.
 
I keep my chaeto in my sump. It's easier to get at and you need to prune it to export your nitrates. Another thing is you want to have your chaeto sort of do a rolling motion. The reason for that is that chaeto grows very densely and if not allowed to roll the bottom half of your chaeto would die out due to lack of light. You can do that in your Dt or sump which ever is convienent for you. If a chore gets to combersome to do then you will start to do it less or not at all...your call
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