Dinkins Aquatic Gardens Clean Chaeto

Dinkins Aquatic Gardens Clean Chaeto is a softball-sized portion of live Chaetomorpha macroalgae, packaged in a jar with roughly 8 ounces of Reef Snacklebox copepod blend. Chaeto is the workhorse of the reef refugium: it strips nitrate and phosphate from your water as it grows and gives copepods and amphipods a dense, tangled home to breed in.

Give your fuge a full head start by pairing it with our Dinkins Copepods Reef Snacklebox and live phytoplankton, or browse all our saltwater livestock and reef supplies.

Why Chaeto

Chaetomorpha is a green, spaghetti-like macroalgae that exports nutrients naturally. As it grows it pulls nitrate and phosphate out of the water column, competing with nuisance algae in your display and helping keep glass and rock cleaner. Unlike some macroalgae it does not go sexual and crash, so it is a safe, low-maintenance choice for new and established reefs alike.

• Exports nitrate and phosphate as it grows
• Dense habitat where copepods and amphipods breed
• Outcompetes nuisance algae in the display
• Hardy and beginner-friendly, does not crash like caulerpa

How to Use It

Place the chaeto in a refugium or a low-flow section of your sump where it can tumble gently and catch light. A dedicated refugium light on a reverse daylight schedule keeps it growing and helps stabilize pH overnight. Harvest a handful whenever it fills its space; that exported growth is how nutrients leave the system. Our chaeto is grown in fishless, pest-free systems to minimize hitchhikers.

Specifications

Recommended Pairings

• Refugium LED Light drives chaeto growth and steadies pH on a reverse daylight cycle.
• Brightwell ChaetoGro supplies iron and trace elements for faster, denser growth.
• Dinkins Copepods Reef Snacklebox seeds even more pods into the tangle.
• Dinkins Live Phytoplankton feeds the pods living in your chaeto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I put the chaeto?
A refugium or a calm section of your sump is ideal. It needs light and gentle flow so it can tumble and grow on all sides.

Will it release pods into my display?
Yes. The copepods packed with it, plus those that breed in the chaeto, drift into your display through the return pump and become a steady live food source.

Does chaeto go sexual and crash like other macroalgae?
No. Chaetomorpha does not go sexual the way caulerpa can, which is a big reason reef keepers prefer it for nutrient export.

Is it pest-free?
We grow ours in fishless, isolated systems to keep it clean, but as with any live macroalgae a quick rinse and inspection before adding is always good practice.