Need advice on setting up a new refugium

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xxkenny90xx

xxkenny90xx

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
229
Location
Tacoma
Hey guys so I've just set up a 20 gallon narrow sump for my 90 gallon reef tank and I need some advice on how to set up the refugium. I am trying to decide if I should use sand, live rock, and macro, or just macro. I'm leaning towards just macro due to theft. Small size of my fuge, and because I want to keep it as low maintenance as possible. Also what types of macro would you recommend? Once this is all set up would you say it's Ok to retire me canister filter? Thanks a lot!
 
Yeah you can get rid of the canister.
I keep cheato in my fuge and some other algaes if I can like flame algae. I do also have a turbo snail and a blue legged crab and a scarlet crab in my fuge. The turbo snail gets move around where needed.
 
Thanks for the reply IPisces, I received my order from Reefcleaners yesterday and now have a small ball of chaeto in the fuge. They also threw in some red gracilaria and a black mangrove sprout. I'm not too sure about the usefulness and care for those two but their in there. I'm still on the fence about the the sand and live rock. I appreciate the input on the snails and hermits, I'll add a handful tonight
 
I personally don't like to keep rock and sand in my refugium area.
IMO, it has a tendency to trap detritus.
But I have seen others that do keep sand and rck in there refugiums that work for them very well.
Either way, it will work.
 
I think I'll go with your set up mfinn, I need as the space I can get for macro in this small fuge
 
Unless of coarse anyone has a good argument for why I absolutely should add sand and live rock..
 
I'm working on a display fuge now, and plan to do live rock from Tampa bay saltwater. Since I can run it offline from my system for a while, and deal with pests without necessarily introducing them to my display, I'm going to take the risk on the bad hitchhikers to see if iI can max out of the good ones.
 
Thanked for clarifying. Like I said, I haven't gotten too deep into the research, but it was bugging me that the little I have done contradicted that. I'm trying to figure out the dsb thing as far as fuge's are concerned now, and figure until iI make that descision iI can't decide on macros anyway.
 
I really like incorporating mangroves into refuge designs, which need and love substrate to bury their roots into. In my experience, they will easily bury their roots +6" in home aquariums. However, I have to admit that they probably don't contribute that much nutrient export in comparison to quick growing macro algeas. I just like the diversity and the natural beauty. They do take up room above the tank and tend to grow right into the lights where they eventually burn their leaves because they've gone too close to the "sun". So, my confusing argument is that I will probably always use miracle mud and/or sand in future refugiums because I will always try to keep mangroves which are quite possibly as detrimental to the system as they are beneficial. No wonder I couldn't make it as a used car salesman.

A basic refugium with no substrate that keeps the ball of chaeto spinning seems like a good way to go. The chaeto doesn't smother out the lower levels that have grown in below which will ultimately deteriorate and re-introduce the nutrients you were trying to capture and export.
 
What kind of reef are you building will help with your sand question...sps bare bottom.....all others sand for me anyway. I always used a rooted macro algae with nice success in the old days:) Today a refugium is view different than the way it was designed for but it doesn't make todays refugiums wrong just some are not refugiums. A safe place for.........what are you using the refugium for protect a fish, additional DT food supply, protect frags/hurt coral, some equipment? If your answer is all the above or part its not a refugium but a hybrid sump. There are many way's to set up a hybrid sump as well as a refugium but they are not the same in my humble opinion:) A crab in a sump with pods is that safe? Slow flow thru a sump what happens.....is that process part of a refugium? Many different way's to research a hobbiest best friend:):faint:
 
halmus said:
I really like incorporating mangroves into refuge designs, which need and love substrate to bury their roots into. In my experience, they will easily bury their roots +6" in home aquariums. However, I have to admit that they probably don't contribute that much nutrient export in comparison to quick growing macro algeas. I just like the diversity and the natural beauty. They do take up room above the tank and tend to grow right into the lights where they eventually burn their leaves because they've gone too close to the "sun". So, my confusing argument is that I will probably always use miracle mud and/or sand in future refugiums because I will always try to keep mangroves which are quite possibly as detrimental to the system as they are beneficial. No wonder I couldn't make it as a used car salesman.

A basic refugium with no substrate that keeps the ball of chaeto spinning seems like a good way to go. The chaeto doesn't smother out the lower levels that have grown in below which will ultimately deteriorate and re-introduce the nutrients you were trying to capture and export.
Click to expand...


So you advise rooting mangroves? I've seen lots of tanks where the mangroves are suspended, allowing their root system to develop in the water only, no substrate, and my understanding of that was that they are much better at exporting nutrients that way. I have almost rules out mangroves in that from my reading, you need to spray the leaves down at least daily, with some advising more than one... and I try to avoid daily maintenance tasks when possible. Its would be nice to hear from someone with real experience with them, as a lot of what I've read is one time posters, or "book knowledge"
 
Spinner said:
What kind of reef are you building will help with your sand question...sps bare bottom.....all others sand for me anyway. I always used a rooted macro algae with nice success in the old days:) Today a refugium is view different than the way it was designed for but it doesn't make todays refugiums wrong just some are not refugiums. A safe place for.........what are you using the refugium for protect a fish, additional DT food supply, protect frags/hurt coral, some equipment? If your answer is all the above or part its not a refugium but a hybrid sump. There are many way's to set up a hybrid sump as well as a refugium but they are not the same in my humble opinion:) A crab in a sump with pods is that safe? Slow flow thru a sump what happens.....is that process part of a refugium? Many different way's to research a hobbiest best friend:):faint:
Click to expand...

So, if you want to keep SPS in the DT, you advise no DSB in the fuge? I thought the argument for bare bottom for SPS was that it was a detritus trap, and a remote DSB somewhat solved that problem. My fuge will be attached, but I don't intend on keeping fish in it, therefore its not likely to get fed, and with slow flow and being fed from the return side of my sump, I would think I could manage detritus going INTO the tank. (I realize that a few inverts and the macros with produce some, but I would think that would be "maintainable" in the fuge with proper care of the macros and siphoning waste). So, as far as detritus trap, I would think it wouldn't be a HUGE problem. Practical experience always trumps theory though, so I'm wondering if you see this differently, or if you are noting no sand for other reasons?

Oh, and @xxkenny90xx. I don't mean to hijack your thread.. I'm working through the same process right now, and hopeful that my questions/responses can benefit us both...
 
Hey guys, my "refugium" is just a small section in the center of my sump. As far as corals I'd like to have a little bit of everything. I'd like the fuge to be a place for natural filtration and a safe place for breeding pods. Halmus do you have any advice for me on planting and keeping a black mangrove sprout?
 
spieszak said:
So, if you want to keep SPS in the DT, you advise no DSB in the fuge? I thought the argument for bare bottom for SPS was that it was a detritus trap, and a remote DSB somewhat solved that problem. My fuge will be attached, but I don't intend on keeping fish in it, therefore its not likely to get fed, and with slow flow and being fed from the return side of my sump, I would think I could manage detritus going INTO the tank. (I realize that a few inverts and the macros with produce some, but I would think that would be "maintainable" in the fuge with proper care of the macros and siphoning waste). So, as far as detritus trap, I would think it wouldn't be a HUGE problem. Practical experience always trumps theory though, so I'm wondering if you see this differently, or if you are noting no sand for other reasons?

Oh, and @xxkenny90xx. I don't mean to hijack your thread.. I'm working through the same process right now, and hopeful that my questions/responses can benefit us both...
Click to expand...

I only say how I did/do it or would do it.....doesn't make it the only way:) I no longer tell hobbiest how to do something flat out like the old days because you would miss the journey of research(most important part of the hobby to me). Think of your DT and refugium as one in the same just different cross sections of a marine environment you are researching, planning, and building. Once finished may they both be breath.....taking to look at") `
 
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