"Chaeto"...Chaetomorpha...a city for worms? (think futurama)

[Hawkeye]

So...I had the unfortunate choice of using one of those small HOB fugs on my 55. I'm in the process of re-doing everything with a larger tank but I have some questions that I never did quite figure out.

People talk about trimming chaeto to help remove the nitrates. I understand this concept. However - my chaeto always had crud on it - I'm guessing because the flow wasn't strong enough. With the crud - came the scavengers...my chaeto had mini stars, bristle worms and amphipods...big and small...and who knows how many copepods. I shut it down because I didn't like the HOB setup.

Anyways - do people actually take the time to remove the critters before tossing? Do others even have critters on their chaeto? Maybe those critters shouldn't even be on there because of my flow issue? I dunno...they seemed to have like a mini-city in the chaeto (a la the worms in Fry's body from Futurama).

Finally - when my new tank is set up - and I get a new batch of chaeto, is it necessary to QT the chaeto? I don't plan on dropping lugols or Flatworm Exit on it...but should I?

 

[harryk]

I dont put anything in my tank that doesnt get QT'd for at least 6 weeks but usually more like 3 months. Chaeto can introduce pathogens to your tank. Whether you QT is up to you. If your buying from a fellow reefer and you know for a fact his tank is bad bug free then take your chance and don't QT. but for me i always QT no matter where it comes from

Harry

 

[Hawkeye]

I qt'd my first (and only) batch of chaeto...the amphipods and worms scurried about in the tank...just didn't know if I should have or not.

What about any dip/solutions?

any thoughts about the trimming question...I feel like I'm messin with a community of scavengers...lol.

 

[Brian]

I thought I was the only person to watch Futurama!

Maybe you can shake them out into the tank? Those kinds of critters are the good ones!

 

[Hawkeye]

Fry had it made with those worms....similarly I'd think my tank is fine with the city of scavengers...LOL.

c'mon with supporting cast of zoidberg and amy wong...how can you go wrong?

hmmm...so I guess I QT when introducing new batch and shake it silly when trimming...

 

[mladencovic]

That is what the fuge is for - for all those criters. However, junk accumulating in the chaeto is not so a good thing, since it is not a good thing to be accumulated anywhere, and better flow would solve that.

 

[twan]

I am posting in this thread as futurama fan 1st and a reef fan 2nd!

Ok now that that's outta the way. I turn my macro with every weekly water change to make sure its getting even lighting. Once a month I will remove it during a water change and trim any brown spots (barely any).

 

[Hawkeye]

Great tips everyone...more food for thought when I get the tank up and running.

twan - what does the CGEF mean? If that is a bad word, mod - please pm me so I can adjust this post...

How can you not love a talking lobster? No matter how bad or unsuccessful I am, I can always count on dr. zoidberg making me laugh...

[Fry is in a Captain Pike-style life-support machine]
Captain Zapp Brannigan: Do you understand the charges?
Kif Kroker: One beep for yes, two beeps for no.
[Fry beeps once]
Captain Zapp Brannigan: Yes, so noted. Do you plead guilty?
[Fry beeps twice]
Captain Zapp Brannigan: Double yes. Guilty.

 

[GregW]

twan - what does the CGEF mean? If that is a bad word, mod - please pm me so I can adjust this post...

Cant Get Enough Futurama

Just finished watching the very first episode on adult swim. Thank goodness the kids are in bed so I can watch cartoons. ;D

 

[Brian]

Zap Rules...He has to be the best character on that show...

"Fly the white flag of war"

 

[twan]

I think adult swim loses their rights to Futurama end of this year and Comedy Central picked it up for 2008 and beyond. Lets not forget the 4 DVD movies coming out which are really just 4 episodes strung together to make a "movie".
The 1st one is due late November I think.