chaeto algea

[cooltop]

When do you need to trim this stuff. Also is it post to be acting as a filter? Mine seems to be catching the debris alot.

 

[cooltop]

can anyone comment?

 

[nanoluvr]

I don't know. I've never trimmed my chaeto. What do you mean it catches debris...where do you have it?

 

[Ziggy953]

The purpose of having macro algae in your system (usually in a refugium) is to help remove excess nutrients from the system. I don't usually trim my cheato as it is a slower growing macro then other types. I usually remove 3/4 of my caulerpa every few months as needed. I haven't removed any cheato other then to share with other hobbiest.

Here is a current pic of my refugium. I thinned out the caulerpa a few weeks ago and it is starting to grow back. Before I thinned you could not see into the tank at all it was that thick

 

[cooltop]

It is in the middle section of my Sump

 

[cooltop]

Its bigger clump now though

 

[goisles1]

....Here is a current pic of my refugium. I thinned out the caulerpa a few weeks ago and it is starting to grow back. Before I thinned you could not see into the tank at all it was that thick

Nice Macro (I want a fuge)... Did you cut it with a push mower or a ride on?

 

[CaptainAhab]

That looks nicer than my lawn in mid-summer. Geeeeeeeeeeeez

 

[Ziggy953]

That looks nicer than my lawn in mid-summer. Geeeeeeeeeeeez

LOL!!! You should have seen it before I thinned it out.

 

[Ziggy953]

Its bigger clump now though

Personally I wouldn't mess with it at all. When you do have to remove some find another reefer that needs some or post it in the classified section. You may also be able to take it to your LFS and get some credit for it. When you do your water changes you can pull the entire clump out and rinse it in a bucket of old salt water to clean the detritus out of it. Is there sand in that section of your sump or is that accumulated gunk? If it is not sand then when you do a water change I would remove all of that stuff and rinse the cheato out as I mentioned.

 

[cooltop]

Sand from the sandstorm when started up and some Diatoms I think in it. I will be cleaning this all out in my sumo as I will be replacing my floors in the next couple of weeks.