how long does it take chaeto to grow.

mikegray

mikegray

Member
i have 2 lil golf ball size balls of chaeto in my fuge now. 2oz each i think.
i have them under 12hours of light with the LOA 65watt fixture. how long will it take to grow rapidly....
and also do i want it to grow and fill my entire fuge up with it... and never cut it. or do i want to cut it to make it grow more? but i want my fuge FULL of it heheh
 
ccws

ccws

Member
I started a fuge wth it 3 weeks ago and I started to notice that it was growing at about 2 weeks. Also I think that you are supposed to take some of it out when it grows to fill up your fuge. This is how you get rid of nitrates.
 
usinkit

usinkit

Member
When i set mine up it started to grow within a two week period. Once it started to grow I had to prune it every week to two weeks. This stuff grows like a weed once it gets going. Great stuff keeps my nitrates below 5ppm!!!!!
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
Growth will depend directly on lighting (which sounds like you have plenty) and available nutrients. Chances are it will take off like a fire ball until any excess nutrients are used up, then slow down. I would trim the chaeto weekly when it's growing good... after it fills up about 1/2 the refuge and keep it at about that amount... pruning weekly or bi-weekly as needed. It's best to keep it growing so you can prune it as often as possible. Pruning often will not only keep a continual export, it will also help keep the cheato clean and healthy.
I think you will find the chaeto to be a good growing algae with an all around good performance. The only thing I dislike about it, is it can clog powerheads and overflows if you don't stay on top of everything.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Check out Anthony Calfo forum on fuge requirements and stuff....It's a little more to it than lights....Water flow plays a role into good, healthy growth as well......Check out his information if you get a chance
 
mikegray

mikegray

Member
dam i ordered my chaeto off ---- and it came with hella white worms and i seen like 1 BIG shrimp pod thingy i guess. but they werent moving at all. worms are still wrapped in chaeto. i put them in anyways cause i dont kno if they are suppose to be lively or not but i still have yet to see 1 pod or 1 worm move.... i still have yet to see any live critters in my dam tank im getting angry causei want a manderin and i need PODS... lol... do u have 2 have 1 pod to recreat others or do they just appear from bacteria... dammit i need pods and stuff..
 
S

steve620

Guest
I've been trying to grow cheato and it just does not grow, I buy a bunch in the store put it in my fuge I have a light fixture with a 40 watt bulb in it that I leave on 24/7. after about 4 weeks its gone. I am just letting it float in the fuge free. Am I doing something wrong?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReefNut http:///t/185503/how-long-does-it-take-chaeto-to-grow#post_1378674
Growth will depend directly on lighting (which sounds like you have plenty) and available nutrients. Chances are it will take off like a fire ball until any excess nutrients are used up, then slow down. I would trim the chaeto weekly when it's growing good... after it fills up about 1/2 the refuge and keep it at about that amount... pruning weekly or bi-weekly as needed. It's best to keep it growing so you can prune it as often as possible. Pruning often will not only keep a continual export, it will also help keep the cheato clean and healthy.
I think you will find the chaeto to be a good growing algae with an all around good performance. The only thing I dislike about it, is it can clog powerheads and overflows if you don't stay on top of everything.

+1
 
S

steve620

Guest
My problem is that it Disappears after about a month, I have a screen so it can't get sucked up into the pump. Is a regular 40 watt light bulb enough? It just won't grow.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve620 http:///t/185503/how-long-does-it-take-chaeto-to-grow#post_3533523
My problem is that it Disappears after about a month, I have a screen so it can't get sucked up into the pump. Is a regular 40 watt light bulb enough? It just won't grow.

Hi,

Golf Coast Ecosystems has an online book on macroalgae and it's needs. http://marineplantbook.com/marinebookchaeto.htm

Macroalgae actually NEEDS a dirty tank full of nitrates and phosphates to survive, since the way it removes it from the system, is to absorb it to be able to grow. If your tank is too clean, macros will shrink up and die off.
 
S

steve620

Guest
my nitrates are way up there thats the reason I'm trying to get the chaeto to grow.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve620 http:///t/185503/how-long-does-it-take-chaeto-to-grow#post_3533535
I don't have a kit to test for that, should I get one?
I always purchased Master reef kits (cheaper then one test at a time). The reef kits always came with a PO4 (phosphate) test. I know that macros have to have nitrates and phosphates, to be able to grow. Not having PO4 is a great thing, and what we all want... but it will hinder the growth of the macros. Almost all of our fish foods have PO4.

Most of the macros either need really bright lighting such as10K or at least 6500...but I read about lots of folks who just use a regular light bulb...
. I never used macros until I started keeping seahorses, they are so piggy when they eat...I have plenty of PO4 and NO3 to keep any macro I want, super healthy...LOL
 
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