Project: CGA

[blueheaven]

Hi guys, I have embarked on a mini project to dedicatedly grow chaetomorpha.

In the system, I will add nutrients mainly iron, magnesium, nitrate and iodine. I will also be monitoring the rate of nitrate intake using a datalogger and the levels of carbonate hardness using a Salifert testkit.

The products of the project will first be distributed back to the source and the remaining will be distributed amongst the club at a small fee.

If anyone has any concerns or queries on certain aspects of chaeto growth and would like me to experiment on, pls feel free to post them in this thread. I will return to you on the findings once the project is done.

The timespan of this project is expected to be a month but will vary according to the rate of growth of the chaeto itself. Currently I am still setting up the system and more details of the setup will be posted soon. Wish me luck!!!!

[prec]

All the best bro! looking forward to your data analysis at the end of the project..

[subxero]

Good Luck Bro!

[blueheaven]

I am still waiting for the system to stablise first before I add in the chaeto

Currently the specimen is still in a basket in my refugium (its to prevent the moonsnails from grazing)

[giantbicycle]

I am still waiting for the system to stablise first before I add in the chaeto

Currently the specimen is still in a basket in my refugium (its to prevent the moonsnails from grazing)

All the best

[royal gramma]

"Bon chance"! Keep us posted. Might need some Chaeto from you when you've grown them.

[blueheaven]

Actually these 3 holding days in my refugium, the chaeto had grown quite a bit

I got it as a long bundle and now its one large bundle

[Achilles Tang]

That quickly? You feeding it steroids??

[ciaolong]

haha wish u could get some in perth but dont have !

i think blue feeding it more than steriods

[35Cents]

Chaeto might came to you in a tighter bundle as the mother colony might be constricted during its growth. When the small 'tight' bundle suddenly has room to grow, it will 'expand' itself thus giving the impression that it had grown extraordinarily fast. Chaeto grow fast I admit.... but not that fast!

[blueheaven]

No kidding!!!

Wish I had pictures to show you guys

Well, dedicated water pump + 2x40w 6500k at 4cm distance = steroids?

[blueheaven]

Check it out!!!

Bro AT can vouch for that

[augustine1]

Bro Blue Haven

Sound goods if can kept the chaeto, because difficult here.

please inform me the temperature recommended and dosing method

for Fe, Mg, etc..... have a plan here to keep at the separated tank,

after that move up to sump.

[blueheaven]

hi bro, wan to check how thick is the chaeto strand? are they as thick as those threads that tailor use for skirts/pants? I have something like that but cannot verify. If possible would like to bring my supposed chaeto to your place to compare if you don't mind.

There are some strands which are really thick (those dark green ones you see)

On the average, they are definately thicker than thread

As for the growing of chaeto, now its still in my refugium so the water conditions are as of my tank. No additional addition of iron and magnesium is kept at 1400ppm. Temperature wise, I keep my tank at lowest 27 degrees.

If you are interested to find out the absorbtion rate of iron and magnesium, I can try to get the probes for these two and also do a tissue analysis of the chaeto for you

[blueheaven]

Bad news today....

Went back to check the system and it was lacking in salinity at 1.015

I will need to try boost it up by this week and hook on the datalogger

Guess the chaeto will have to sit in my refugium for a few more days

[Achilles Tang]

Remember to keep the chaeto in high turbulence water.... 'Keep the ball rolling'!

This way you will expose the entire clump to light.

[blueheaven]

Haha....yes and Anthony Calfo told me about that too!!

According to him, he said its best to place a baffle at the water outlet so that the currents are directed downwards. However, since I got a sandbed its not that feasible so other than having strong currents at it, I make it a point to give it lightings at different angles and sort of flip to the other side everyday

Currently have transferred the bunch to a much larger basket so that it got space to grow and "roll around"

[Achilles Tang]

If you are going to make that much effort monitoring the growth of the chaeto, why don't you measure the weight/mass of the clump on a regular basis? This will be compared against the nitrate/nutrient uptake rate which you are measuring.

[blueheaven]

If you are going to make that much effort monitoring the growth of the chaeto, why don't you measure the weight/mass of the clump on a regular basis? This will be compared against the nitrate/nutrient uptake rate which you are measuring.

Hmm that's a good idea. Didn't think of it earlier.

But I may have a problem as the clump might be too light to measure. Well, I guess I will have to try first

[FuEl]

Not easy to measure wet weight as the more it grows the more water can affect your readings. If your school has the facilities a better way to measure growth is using dry weight. Basically you take a sample from the chaeto every week with the same wet weight, dry it up in the oven and use that weight as an indicator of growth (in terms of organic content). This will take away the inaccuracy that water contributes to weight readings.

[blueheaven]

Yes I will be measuring the dry weight

Thanks for the tip Fuel

[giantbicycle]

It sure seems bigger and much more since the last time i ssaw it

[blueheaven]

I had depleted my own supply of salt just to raise the specific gravity to 1.025

Imagine everyone looking at me bringing a big pack of salt to school

Anyway, will let the system stabilise first before I add in the chaeto

[Achilles Tang]

The system is in school???

[blueheaven]

Haha...yes I will be growing half of it in my refugium and the other half in school

Found that it will be easier for me to have access all the hi-tech stuff