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Author Topic: Cheato reactor  (Read 3674 times)

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Offline Heinbaughb

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Cheato reactor
« on: December 30, 2017, 15:10:15 »
I was given a Blue Fin by Tritron reactor and had seen some videos online of DIY Cheato reactors so I thought, why not give it a try. I went out to Menards and bought a color changing strip LED light and used an old ~250 gph pump I had laying around and made this guy.
I have been using it for a week now and just pulled out my first harvest.




120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Steve

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2017, 15:57:21 »
Very cool. I quit growing cheato because it would get all over my pumps, may have to try this.

Offline joncat24

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2017, 16:36:19 »
next time you harvest, I would like to get your harvest...LOL
John

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2017, 17:21:13 »
Very cool. I quit growing cheato because it would get all over my pumps, may have to try this.
I was having the same problem.  It was also getting a slimy top layer.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2017, 17:22:12 »
next time you harvest, I would like to get your harvest...LOL
You got it! Hopefully it keeps up at this pace and I can clean it out again in 1-2 weeks


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline joncat24

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2017, 18:05:56 »
You got it! Hopefully it keeps up at this pace and I can clean it out again in 1-2 weeks


120 gallon mixed reef.

Thank you Sir
John

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2017, 18:17:28 »
Nice job Brian! I know you used the lanthanum chloride to get your PO4 down originally....has the cheato maintained it for you and what is it currently at?

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2017, 19:05:05 »
Nice job Brian! I know you used the lanthanum chloride to get your PO4 down originally....has the cheato maintained it for you and what is it currently at?
I’m sure it has helped but I don’t know to what extent. Whenever I use the Hanna Ultra Low Phosphorus checker, my readings are all over the map.  I think it has trouble getting a good reading because my water has a lot of suspended particles from not running filter socks.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Humphrey

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2017, 23:04:38 »
That’s a really cool idea-  especially when you don’t have a lot of space.

Offline CoralBeauties

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2017, 15:36:22 »
Thanks for posting this, I really like the idea and have never liked cheato being in my open sump with a light hanging over it.  I never thought that I had enough water flow through it to do any good.  I even have a spare reactor just sitting so just a matter of ordering the leds.
Jeff

Offline Agame43

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2017, 17:46:55 »


Brian, really nice set up, has me thinking about your set up now, I was going to go really big in a sense but may not have to now. As Jesse asked above can you provide Phos update? Remember, make sure the water tube is really clean - no smudges/fingerprints/debris. This Hanna checker passes a light through the water column in the tube to get its data. Keep us posted. Thanks for sharing your creative reactor idea!

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2017, 18:08:11 »

Brian, really nice set up, has me thinking about your set up now, I was going to go really big in a sense but may not have to now. As Jesse asked above can you provide Phos update? Remember, make sure the water tube is really clean - no smudges/fingerprints/debris. This Hanna checker passes a light through the water column in the tube to get its data. Keep us posted. Thanks for sharing your creative reactor idea!

My phos levels are still higher than I would like. I initially had readings of 120-130 ppb and dropped them to around 30-50 using Lazy’s phosphate remover. 7 days later I added the chaeto and unfortunately never retested my levels to get a starting value. When I tested this weekend after my 10% water change and a week using my reactor, I was getting readings of 75-100 ppb. So I’m not sure if I have phosphate leaching out of my rock, maybe the phosphate remover didn’t keep the phosphate bound or maybe something else is causing my levels to rise.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2017, 22:51:24 »
I added bioptim and biodigest tonight hoping it will help keep my levels stable. I haven’t tried it before but it seemed like a safe way alternative to carbon dosing.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Wall_Tank

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2017, 23:09:31 »
I added bioptim and biodigest tonight hoping it will help keep my levels stable. I haven’t tried it before but it seemed like a safe way alternative to carbon dosing.

That is still carbon dosing, with a bacteria booster. I used to use it, but then opted for the cheaper alternative from the liquor store.

Offline SweetReefOH

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #14 on: December 31, 2017, 23:12:41 »
I read a thread on RC by Randy Holmes Farley where he suggested that the lanthanum chloride will bind the phosphate but does not “export it”. His fear is that some inadvertent chemistry change in the water column “could” potentially release that binded phosphate back into the water column. I’m not trying to rain on a parade but it may be something to consider when using various chemicals. On the other hand, growing macro is a safe, proven method of “exporting” PO4 & NO3. Albeit, slowly. It’s taken me a little over a week to get mine under that .1 threshold by using macro, but it is working. I’d keep your reactor humming!

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2017, 23:22:17 »
Thanks Jesse and Wall Tank,  I think from here forward, I’ll try to stay with using the reactor and expensive carbon dosing. I may switch to vodka or vinegar in the future but for now I’m not quite that brave. Interesting note regarding using the phosphate remover, I noticed my nuisance algae increased after using it which is opposite what I had expected.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Wall_Tank

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #16 on: December 31, 2017, 23:31:42 »
The biggest thing to watch when carbon dosing ( or even growing Cheato)  You need Nitrate and Phosphate in your system to get the chemistry working for you.  If you have Zero nitrates, then there is nothing to help get rid of phosphate.  That is why you hear of folks dosing Nitrate.

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #17 on: January 01, 2018, 08:07:57 »
The biggest thing to watch when carbon dosing ( or even growing Cheato)  You need Nitrate and Phosphate in your system to get the chemistry working for you.  If you have Zero nitrates, then there is nothing to help get rid of phosphate.  That is why you hear of folks dosing Nitrate.
Thank you, I’ll make sure to monitor those more often.


120 gallon mixed reef.

Offline Heinbaughb

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Re: Cheato reactor
« Reply #18 on: January 01, 2018, 20:03:51 »
I retested nitrates and phosphorus today after adding bioptim and biodigest yesterday. My nitrates dropped from 10-15 to 0. Phos raises from 80 ppb to 178?? I’m not sure how this would be possible. I’m going to need to invest in another phos test other than Hanna.


120 gallon mixed reef.

 

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