Cheato Question?

i have some cheato in the back chamber of my biocube. I am lighting it with an underwater 10 watt light from intankLLC.com. I placed the cheato in a media bag with lots of holes in it so that i could contain it, but i dont think its growing well? Should i take the cheato out of the bag and just let it float around back there? I also have another 10watt underwater light that i could blast the cheato from the top with light as well. But the light kinda raises my temps a bit. Does anyone have any ideas for how i can get my cheato to grow better?:-/

 

Are your lights in the bag with the cheato? They make a refugium basket for the biocube that helps to contain the cheato.

 

no its not in the bag. its shining on the bag that has the cheato in it? I have seen the baskets but they are expensive. i make my own media baskets and racks myself out of egg crate. I was thinking of reusing the blue sponge that sits between chamber two and three to protect the return pump from debris. This way no cheato could get in the display and it could have plenty of room to grow. Or maybe use more egg crate to contain the cheato. As of now my media rack that holds the light and cheato is open on the front and back. So i am afraid the cheato will float out of the light if i just let it go. Maybe ill enclose the cheato chamber with egg crate!

 

How fast should the cheato be growing? I cant see any growth in size and its been over a month?

 

depends on intensity of light and the amount of phosphates/ nitrates present in the water. mine grows excessively fast but that is because i have them under strong lighting, not because of an excess of nutrients

 

In my studies, i have found its the specific light that determines how well and wound taught my cheato is. i have found that a simple 100w PC does great. everything else is the right spectum or something. Whether or not i'm scientificly right, im just stateing my experience.