Chaetomorpha

Chaetomorpha sp.

Care Level	Very easy
Lighting	Moderate (refugium light)
Water Flow	Moderate (tumbling)
Placement	Refugium or sump
Aggression	Beneficial — none
Coloration	Bright green tangled strands

Overview

Chaetomorpha (“chaeto”) is a hardy macroalgae kept in refugiums and sumps for natural filtration. As it grows it absorbs nitrate and phosphate, exporting nutrients and helping control nuisance algae in the display — a cornerstone of natural reef keeping.

Care & Placement

Keep it in a refugium or sump under a dedicated grow light, with enough flow to gently tumble the ball so all sides get light. It is not placed in the display tank. Harvest (remove) a portion regularly — that physical removal is how nutrients leave the system.

Feeding

Photosynthetic; it feeds on dissolved nitrate and phosphate directly from the water. No target feeding needed — the whole point is that it consumes excess nutrients.

Propagation

Propagates simply by growing — pull off a handful to start another refugium or share with other reefers. It does not attach, so it just needs to tumble.

Cautions

Rinse and inspect new chaeto for hitchhikers (bristleworms, aiptasia, pods are fine/beneficial). Keep it tumbling; a stagnant clump can trap detritus and die off in the center.