Chaeto in display tank

[GioReef]

Can i put chaeto in the corner of my tank without a soapdish? Or will it spread on the rocks and cause an infestation? I was thinking of wedging it between the side glass and the lr...it would be touch the sand. Is it ok or not? I am asking this cause i dont really like the idea of modding the back. And i dont like soapdishes cause all the ones ive seen are huge and would take away the clean look in the tank.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Nano-Reef-Man

[DCG1286]

I have seen this done no problem...I mean it will grow. So just keep an eye on it.

 

-DCG

[GioReef]

So regularly i just have to trim it so it doesnt climb on the rocks?

[DCG1286]

Yes, just cut it out when it grows too much

[GioReef]

Thanks

[SaltWaterNewb]

I just threw a big glob of it in my tank behind the rocks next to the back glass. It has only been there a couple days and I plan to move it to my fuge when I get around to getting a light for it but I actually kinda like it in there. The pod population in my tank has exploded since putting it in there.

[GioReef]

Ya i actually like the color and form of chaeto...maybe im just weird! So i will get some so that the pods have somewhere to live where the wrasse wont get them and so that the algae on the glass doesn't build up so quickly. But 1 question, do you just trim it with regular scissors?

[scottyreef]

i just tear it apart you dont really need anything to cut it

[rustytrombonist]

i had a ball of it naturally grown in my tank, a string came up from a piece of rock and it grow in the open water

[coolwaters]

lol i remember when i threw a tennis ball size chaeto in my 10g. i upped the light to 45w and it took over 80% of the tank within 2 days =p just look out lol.

[GioReef]

It will be on the bottom... kinda shaded by the rocks. But it will get good flow. I just have to make sure that it doesnt go nuts!

[smoknta]

It needs good light to grow, and around 5000-6500K works best.

[Irushin]

Still have to order some mangrove's but the cheato I have I jammed into lr. It may get messy with little pieces breaking off and bothering frags, so have chop sticks ready.

[Longinus]

I keep some in my tank to help keep the pod population up, I have a mandarin so this reduces the amount of frozen foods I need to feed for the little guy. Be warned however, it needs to be trimmed back regularely to avoid tank domination by the cheato.

[GioReef]

I would like it for my wrasse to. And so that i can have "cleaner water" with nutrient export.

[coolwaters]

dont believe what other people say about your CUC eating it. i had a really small ball and 5 hermit and over 10 different kinds of snails (hundreds if you count the babies) in my 10g and it still grew out of control.

 

i did notice a lot of huge pods too.

[GioReef]

Yep, lots of pods, have never heard of the cuc thing.

[jazthree3]

Can i put chaeto in the corner of my tank without a soapdish? Or will it spread on the rocks and cause an infestation? I was thinking of wedging it between the side glass and the lr...it would be touch the sand. Is it ok or not? I am asking this cause i dont really like the idea of modding the back. And i dont like soapdishes cause all the ones ive seen are huge and would take away the clean look in the tank.

 

I'm thinking I might try this too. I was thinking about those tiny dishwasher crates too though. They are like egg crate material for small things to put in the dishwasher, they are like little boxes. You could stick a suction cup to it and maybe place it behind some rocks? Just a thought.

 

So, if you just place the chaeto in the main display will the livestock mess with it a lot? I was thinking they might enjoy the diversity of it?

[Kraylen]

I dont really see the point in having it in your main display.....

 

You need to put it somewhere a lot of water goes through it + rinse it off every once in a while. You also have a chance of the cheato ball flowing into some dark unknown cavern in your tanks and dying off. Plus random pieces of dead cheato string in your tank are pretty ugly.

[NanoClown]

take the tome to do the fuge mod, it will lead to a cleaner look in your tank without the ball of cheato floating around

[geekreef_05]

Cheato doesnt attached itself to rock very easily. So dont even worry about it.

[nannodad]

Will it still grow if it is wedged in a spot on the rock instead of in the sand?

[dsoz]

Will it still grow if it is wedged in a spot on the rock instead of in the sand?

 

I have mine wedged in the corner about half under a ledge of rock. It does fine.

 

dsoz

[geekreef_05]

I dont really see the point in having it in your main display.....

 

You need to put it somewhere a lot of water goes through it + rinse it off every once in a while. You also have a chance of the cheato ball flowing into some dark unknown cavern in your tanks and dying off. Plus random pieces of dead cheato string in your tank are pretty ugly.

 

 

Ive done it before as well.... in the form of in-tank sumps or just free floating cheato.

 

I'll admit free floating cheato doesnt work so well, usually gets chopped up by a PH eventually. But in-tank sump cheato works fine.

 

I'll be transfering my nano into a bigger nano next month, and I'll be using an in-tank sump with cheato.... probably wont look "amazing", but it'll work well, and it'll be efficient.

Edited August 8, 2008 by geekreef_05

[GioReef]

Ya. i dont wanna mod anything for several reasons so i was planning on putting it in a corner which gets light and has great flow, which i have. I will probably either wedge it in or use a zip tie and tie it to a rock. That should be efficient. Also i have a place where if the coral frag fall they go to the back of the tank and i cant get them without taking everything out. With the chaeto there it will stop there and i can easily grab it.LOL