Does my refugium (Chaeto) need a power head?

[AetherealKnight]

The title pretty much says it all. I'm starting to set up a refugium and I'm not sure if I need a powerhead in it. If I leave a small powerhead it kinda just pushes my Chaeto into the corner. But If I don't have a powerhead it kinda sits very still with very little movement, practically no movement besides water very slowly moving around it from the return pump.

 

[Formulator]

The powerhead will just clog up (I tried it LOL). Chaeto doesn’t need flow, but it does need light on all sides. Mine doesn’t move, but I put a submersible light under it, in addition to the overhead light. If you can commit to manually turning it every 2-3 days, that is an option too.

 

[InvaderJim]

I don't have a powerhead on mine either and it grows like a weed under a LED flood light bulb.

 

[AetherealKnight]

I don't have a powerhead on mine either and it grows like a weed under a LED flood light bulb.

So does it just sit still in the water? Does detritus not collect on top of it?

 

[InvaderJim]

So does it just sit still in the water? Does detritus not collect on top of it?

Not on top of it, but definitely does below it. I do have a powerhead in the same chamber as my skimmer to try and stir things up so my skimmer picks them up. Once or twice a year I will vacuum all the detritus out of my sump.

 

[AetherealKnight]

Not on top of it, but definitely does below it. I do have a powerhead in the same chamber as my skimmer to try and stir things up so my skimmer picks them up. Once or twice a year I will vacuum all the detritus out of my sump.

So does Chaeto not move at all and just kinda floats still in your sump?

 

[PharmrJohn]

This is a good thread. I'd planned on just using the natural flow from one end of the sump to the other and call it good. That's where I'll start anyway. But if I did put a powerhead in there it would definitely be some sort of low power DC Pump.

 

[AetherealKnight]

This is a good thread. I'd planned on just using the natural flow from one end of the sump to the other and call it good. That's where I'll start anyway. But if I did put a powerhead in there it would definitely be some sort of low power DC Pump.

When I only use the natural flow form one of the sump, it just kinda sits there like a fish bowl with nothing going on it. And I'm afraid it might not get enough flow. But according to Formulator, it doesn't need flow?

 

[PharmrJohn]

When I only use the natural flow form one of the sump, it just kinda sits there like a fish bowl with nothing going on it. And I'm afraid it might not get enough flow. But according to Formulator, it doesn't need flow?

But does it do what it's supposed to? Does it grow? If so, you're golden.

 

[Uncle99]

Mines still, about 2’ by 2’ by 10” has been that way for years.
I run it separately from sump so I can run the flow, very slow, maybe 100g per hour.
Gives the green time to soak up the stuff.

 

[AetherealKnight]

But does it do what it's supposed to? Does it grow? If so, you're golden.

Well I'm not sure yet, it's too early to tell (it's only been in my sump for about a week), it does look kind of pale in some areas, while some areas are dark green and some are light green. I'm going to dose some chaetogro soon too give it a boost in iron supplement though. My phosphate levels are pretty elevated (0.2-0.39) while nitrate is around 12, so I don't know if it's flow or iron supplement that it needs..

 

[Formulator]

My fuge is a 20g long swamp, but it works well and is overflowing with pods. Passive flow using about 20% of the drain volume coming from my 120g DT. The other 80% goes to separate sump, to which the fuge also drains. All kinds of green stuff, including chaeto that grows like a weed. There is a deep sand bed topped with lots of detritus. DT is algae free!

 

[Gtinnel]

My fuge is half of a 29g rimmed tank that I have fed from my return pump and a valve where I adjust the flow down really low. I don’t have a power head or any significant flow and my chaeto doesn’t move but still grows like crazy.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Well I'm not sure yet, it's too early to tell (it's only been in my sump for about a week), it does look kind of pale in some areas, while some areas are dark green and some are light green. I'm going to dose some chaetogro soon too give it a boost in iron supplement though. My phosphate levels are pretty elevated (0.2-0.39) while nitrate is around 12, so I don't know if it's flow or iron supplement that it needs..

Well, if @Uncle99, @Gtinnel and @Formulator are all together on this, I'd trust it and move forward.

 

[InvaderJim]

So does Chaeto not move at all and just kinda floats still in your sump?

Yep just floats there and grows until it fills the entire chamber and I cut it back. Last time I filled an entire 5g bucket.

 

[Idech]

I’m new at having a refugium (7 months) but mine stopped moving when it started to invade the space. It grows well and is a dark green, except if I don’t turn it enough, some areas will be yellowish.