Anyone has Chaetomorpha to spare?

[dragon1188]

Hi guys,

After 3 yrs I finally managed to get my nitrate to below 5ppm by installing a plenum.

However, my phosphate is bad...0.5ppm. My target is to get it below 0.1ppm.

I started a refugum 6mths ago and tried many types of seaweed including ulva, c. taxifolia and another fern-looking caulerpa but all seems to die-off after 2-3mths.

Looking thru this forum, looks like the recommended seaweed to use is Chaetomorpha.

Can anyone spare me some Chaetomorpha to start off?

Thank you in advance!

[RockyBoy]

Hi guys,

After 3 yrs I finally managed to get my nitrate to below 5ppm by installing a plenum.

However, my phosphate is bad...0.5ppm. My target is to get it below 0.1ppm.

I started a refugum 6mths ago and tried many types of seaweed including ulva, c. taxifolia and another fern-looking caulerpa but all seems to die-off after 2-3mths.

Looking thru this forum, looks like the recommended seaweed to use is Chaetomorpha.

Can anyone spare me some Chaetomorpha to start off?

Thank you in advance!

Use phosphate remover such as rowa or zorb, etc.

[dragon1188]

Use phosphate remover such as rowa or zorb, etc.

Hi Rocky,

Oh yes i use Rowa. Very effective, but very expensive too...$75 per liter.

When my ulva "crash" (they dont crash actually, they slowly thin out and disappear), i increase my Rowa. There was once I had very good growth of ulva and I dont even need Rowa and phosphate was almost nil.

But then, my ulva is almost gone, need some other replacement fast else have to use lots of Rowa

[dragon1188]

Use phosphate remover such as rowa or zorb, etc.

Thought I saw some of your posting about your algae problem and u intend to use refugum and caulerpa.

Did you setup your refugum?

[arcanehacker]

I got. Can give a big handful. If its convenient, self collect at my place, Jurong West St 65. Only after 6+pm.

[dragon1188]

Thanks to Blenny, I had a ton of Chaeto in my refugium now.

Also like to thank arcanehacker for his offer.

After a week, the Chaeto is doing well. I just removed my Rowa. Will monitor for a month to see if my phosphate will raise.

I'll update this post in a month time.

[visor]

Dun mind me borrowing your thread...

I'm looking for chaeto too... anyone got any to spare/sell do let me know.

[redspring]

Dun mind me borrowing your thread...

I'm looking for chaeto too... anyone got any to spare/sell do let me know.

I also need some any one can spare??

[dragon1188]

Its been 2 months since I loaded my refugium with Chaeto. However, its not been growing well. Now its left 30%. The rest just died off.

My nitrate is almost undetectable though. Phosphate is 0.1. (I still using Rowa)

I am using a 10W 6700K lights over my refugium. Flow rate is pretty moderate, about 15cm per second.

Been looking thru the Internet and someone said Chaeto need "intense to moderate" lights. Whatt does that means? 13W or 24W of lights?

Blenny, who gave me the Chaeto is growing it in a tank in his garden partly shaded. Not too much light but growing like crazy.

I also read that Chaeto need some maintenance like shaking it to remove its debris every now an then.

Guys, any comments on lights and maintenance requirements?

[planula]

Hi there,

just a quick tip. use iron for all kinds of macroalgae, but especially the chlorophytes (greens). This will keep most growing for long except the diff ones like C. peltata. Also try to get them to "root" (i use inverted commas cos they do not have true roots systems) , for thats when they extract most N and P. The iron might help chelate PO4 too, to a certain extent, depending on the chemical species of the additive you use. For chaeto, they are not really particular bout light, but keep them tumbling or suspended. thats when they do best. i keep mine suspended but attaching to the top of a very tall LR and leave some hanging in mid water and they grow like crazy. hope it helps

Cheers,

Planula

[hochweng]

I got. Can give a big handful. If its convenient, self collect at my place, Jurong West St 65. Only after 6+pm.

Hi arcanehacker, do u still have any chaeto to offer? Tx.

[Ah-lim]

I find using T5 for cheato growing is quite good.

I think a lack of nutrients might cause them to die off as well, since ya mention ya have rowa running as well and undetectable nitrate.

Didn't dose much iron for my case.

[dragon1188]

Thanks for the tips, Ah-Lim and Planula.

I thinks it may be due to low nutrients too, especially NO3. If not wrong, all macroalgae need several parts of N and one part P for synthesis.

Problem with most of our tank is that P cannnot be transported out as easily as NO3. On long term we have imbalance level of NO3 vs P.

I tried NO3 feeding by adding pieces of raw fish meat to the refugum to release ammonia and hence NO3 but too lazy to keep up this practice after 2weeks.

I will try to continue on with NO3 feeding and look for iron supplement.

Also suspect my water may have run out of many micro nutrient as I have not change water for more than a year.

Looking forward to my long leave in Dec to carry out a major change of water (maybe 30%) as my last change of water in Dec 07 is just 15%.

Cheers!