KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 So last Friday I set up my "mini-fuge" a-la-Captain Bob in the clear shower caddy stuck to the back wall of my tank with suction cups, just under my power filter. I filled it with chaeto, which was a gorgeous medium green color and looked "clean". Now it's beginning to take on a brownish color. Is it dying? Is it too close to the light? Also - I've read both on here - that it helps decrease nitrates, and that it harbors nitrates. Which is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Chaeto should be green... did the chaeto itself turn brown or does it have a brown coating on it (like diatoms, for example)? I have heard of a red chaeto... however I think it would have been red when you bought it if that were the case... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Chaeto should be green... did the chaeto itself turn brown or does it have a brown coating on it (like diatoms, for example)?I have heard of a red chaeto... however I think it would have been red when you bought it if that were the case... I could have a coating on it, I'll have to check closer tonight. If it's just a coating, would that be good or bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Also - I've read both on here - that it helps decrease nitrates, and that it harbors nitrates. Which is it? Both. It uses Nitrates to grow. So it decreases the nitrates in your water. As it grows you trim it back and give or throw away what you trim. Your tank is still pretty new, right? You might be having a diatom outbreak. If you keep on top of water changes and or get that skimmer you have been thinking about, they should go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Both. It uses Nitrates to grow. So it decreases the nitrates in your water. As it grows you trim it back and give or throw away what you trim. Your tank is still pretty new, right? You might be having a diatom outbreak. If you keep on top of water changes and or get that skimmer you have been thinking about, they should go away. It's about 4 months old I guess. But I cycled it with bio-spira, if that makes any difference. The small algae outbreak the tank had a week or so ago only lasted a few days. How would I tell diatoms from just random "slime"? My 12 yr old is at home and says it looks like slime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 If it is just on the Cheato when you get home put a little saltwater in a bucket and swish the cheato around real good in it. That may clean it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flushdraw Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 If it is just on the Cheato when you get home put a little saltwater in a bucket and swish the cheato around real good in it. That may clean it off. +1 This happened to me too when I put Chaeto in my cube. I'd wash it and forget about it. Flushdraw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 +1This happened to me too when I put Chaeto in my cube. I'd wash it and forget about it. Flushdraw But I don't want to loose my pods. They're the reason I set up the mini-fuge in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Speaking of the pods, should I be feeding them in the little mini-fuge or do they come out and eat and go back in? There are plenty of holes for them to get out and go back in. Will they set up a home outside of the "shower caddy" or will they pretty much stay in there unless they're washed out by the water coming out of the power filter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodle Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 You don't have to feed the pods anything. They'll scavenge what they can from the rocks or water column. It's not definite if they stay in the mini-fuge... you see a lot more of them in the fuge since they're free from predation there and can multiply freely there. If they are washed out from the mini-fuge, they'll set up shop somewhere in your rockwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenM Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 You don't have to feed the pods anything. They'll scavenge what they can from the rocks or water column. It's not definite if they stay in the mini-fuge... you see a lot more of them in the fuge since they're free from predation there and can multiply freely there. If they are washed out from the mini-fuge, they'll set up shop somewhere in your rockwork. Great. Thanks, Yun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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