Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been almost a year since my last post. The spirit moved me the other day, with help from Norman, to perform a DIY and add a chaeto chamber on the back side of my RSM 250. For you RSM owners, you know our enclosed systems are just that and are not well designed for sumps or regugiums like most other tanks. Long story short, I created a chaeto chamber (mini refugium) inside the pump 2 (right) chamber in the back of my tank. Since I have never run a heater in my tank (rather a chiller) because the three pumps and closed hood lights produce so much heat already, I decided to rig up some white LED lights to the side of that chamber and stuff some chaeto back there to start soaking up my nitrates a bit more naturally. I purchased some really cool strips of water resistant LED's from Radio Shack in Conway along with a 12 volt power pack to provide my light. The are very easily modified (shortened or lengthened) and I installed them on the back side of the snap in plastic power strip module (dry chamber) that is built into the side of the RSM 250. The shine light through the glass into the right pump/heater chamber and in theory, will grow my chaeto and spruce up my nitrates in no time. I just got it in yesterday so I will report back as soon as I see evidence of chaeto growth. See pictures.
Sorry for the file size. I assume they are larger than permitted, but if you click on them, they appear to load up. Let me know if they don't and I will downsize them.
Good to see you back Luke, a year is waaay to long! This looks like a good idea. Keep us posted on how well things are working and if this helps reduce your nitrates. By the way, the meeting is at my house this month. It would be great if you could make it.
After a couple of months, I am seeing several inches of growth. Anyone with a RSM with limited chamber room for things like this should consider this option. Nitrates are virtully nothing.
