Harvesting algae

[Cranners]

Just wanted find out how other people harvest their algae from their mud filter. I have taken out a 1/4 of the algae recently and pulling on the fronds obviously disturbs the mud - so I chopped the fronds and roots so I could pull out that clump of algae. I have a bare area of mud with some left over roots and shoots which I hope will be colonised with new shoots over the coming weeks.

Do people turn off their return pump when they do this to prevent mud and sediment getting into the main display? Once the mud settles you can then put the return back on

I am also looking for the instructions for replacing half the mud on the ecosystem website but i cant find this at all

Any sugestions or ideas on how to do that?


Jon

[Haile S]

Here’s how I thin out chaeto as part of a water change.

Shut off the return pump.

Divide the chaeto in half. Place half in a bucket. Rinse the other half in the sump and then compost it or put it in the quarantine tank.

Leave the water to settle for 10 minutes.

Pump out 80-90% of sump water and discard.

Refill sump with new water.

Add the chaeto from the bucket. Spread the cheato out to cover the surface.

Wait until the water is clear.

Restart the return pump.

I think that this probably involves loosing a lot of life. is there a less destructive way of harvesting chaeto?

i would also like to hear how anyone has replaced their mud.

[Cranners]

Ah thats a good idea combining the two operations. I will give this a try the next time I change the water. Its a little tricky getting the algae out without disturbing the roots though lol

Regards

Jon

[Sanj]

When you harvest Cheato algae is it best to prune or pull whole sections of algae out (which will probably disturb the mud)?

The ecosystems website advocates that you trim it and not to pull out the fronds, but other books and references on the net suggest that you do not prune the algae as this can be too traumatic for the plant and can lead to it crashing?

Any ideas?

[Haile S]

When you harvest Cheato algae is it best to prune or pull whole sections of algae out (which will probably disturb the mud)?

The ecosystems website advocates that you trim it and not to pull out the fronds, but other books and references on the net suggest that you do not prune the algae as this can be too traumatic for the plant and can lead to it crashing?

Any ideas?

I think you are refering to Caulerpa rather than chaeto. you can pull chaeto apart very easily.

[Sanj]

Yes oops, i meant Caulerpa, chaeto seems easy.

[dan-the-man]

I just rip most of the chaeto out when needs be and chuck it away. Haile's method probably does involve losing a lot of life as said. My way involves making the main tank a bit 'dusty' for a while but that's nothing I'm worried about.