Cheato in the display

[sharoleb]

I have some cheato in my tank, 36 bowfront w/ HOB filter. No sump/fuge to speak of. I put the cheato in the display to help w/ nutrient export. At first I wedged it between the glass and some rock up high in the back - what I thought was an ideal location: high flow lots of lighting. My fish will not stop eating it! I read it was "unpalatable" to fish, and she's mowing it down, it's almost gone. DOH! To make matters worse, she doesn't poop right when she eats it. There is long chunks of white cheato hanging off of her, and her tummy looks weird. This has been going on for a few weeks and does not seem to be affecting her health. Yes - I put Nori in the tank to distract her and she ignores it.

 

What I'm looking for is a simple DIY project that will keep the cheato safe without being big and bulky as there is not much room left in the tank. Any ideas? Thanks.

[kilmca]

i've see where people get a HOB filter and just add a small PC light and cheato to that, basically a HOB refugium.

 

might be able to find a cheap HOB filter on craigslist that you could use.

[impur]

i've see where people get a HOB filter and just add a small PC light and cheato to that, basically a HOB refugium.

 

might be able to find a cheap HOB filter on craigslist that you could use.

 

Yeah this is a great idea. I turned an AC70 filter into a fuge for my nano, would work just as well for cheato

 

[sharoleb]

awesome! I am going to look into that: that is the same type of filter I already have.

Thank you!!!!

[dsoz]

Wal-mart. Go to the bath section and look for a clear plastic "soap dish" with suction cups on it. I got a large one (for holding shampoo bottles) and stuck it in the back of the tank. There are enough holes in it for water exchange, but it is protected enough to keep most fish from eating the chaeto. It is even cheaper than a HOB filter.

 

I now use the soap dish as a sheltered area for attaching frags instead of as a refugium. Some sand and gravel on the bottom, throw in the xenia, zoa, mushroom, kenya tree, (insert soft coral name here), and let the coral attach to the sand/gravel. Then the sand or gravel can be glued wherever I want it to go.

 

dsoz

[sharoleb]

Genius! (rock2) That's what I'm looking for - a quick fix. The HOB filter swith-a-roo is a great plan, and I will consider that for the future. For my purpose now - this is great. Thank you very much!

 

Wal-mart. Go to the bath section and look for a clear plastic "soap dish" with suction cups on it. I got a large one (for holding shampoo bottles) and stuck it in the back of the tank. There are enough holes in it for water exchange, but it is protected enough to keep most fish from eating the chaeto. It is even cheaper than a HOB filter.

 

I now use the soap dish as a sheltered area for attaching frags instead of as a refugium. Some sand and gravel on the bottom, throw in the xenia, zoa, mushroom, kenya tree, (insert soft coral name here), and let the coral attach to the sand/gravel. Then the sand or gravel can be glued wherever I want it to go.

 

dsoz

[Queen Angel]

Wow... great ideas you guys have!!

[dsoz]

Genius! (rock2) That's what I'm looking for - a quick fix. The HOB filter swith-a-roo is a great plan' date=' and I will consider that for the future. For my purpose now - this is great. Thank you very much![/quote']

 

You're welcome. Just know that eventually the suction cups stop working and the basket falls down. I finally gave up and put it on top of the rockwork in the back. After a while it gets covered in coraline. Mine now has xenia and anthelia growing all over it.

 

dsoz

[Rick]

Every suction cup I have ever tried fails before too long. One of my powere heads uses suction cups and it's wedged between a rock and the overflow to keep it in place. (It got to a point it would fall within a day so I gave up)

 

Regarding the fish eating it what fish are they? My purple tang and coral beauty both nibble at it. (I actually put some in the tank from time to time just for them)