Refugium Basics

[mcvicker]

Hey, I just set up a "refugium", which right now consists of a deep sand bed and a big ball of cheato. What other critters and plants are good for a refugium? I am getting that red algae on the sand and plenty of pods right now. I am thinking those mexican turbo snails for the red algae...... I am intrigued by the mangrove idea, does anybody know where to get one?
-chris

 

[shallowreef]

Fosters and smith sell mangroves.

I am also in the midst of setting up a fuge but my has no sand or anything in it. Does that matter? I honestly plan to grow xenia in my fuge.

 

[Skimmy]

i would suggest keeping all snails ,crabs, etc out of the refugium, if your having problems with red slime algae you might want to try a powerhead in the fuge, it doesnt like the flow.
also, once the chaeto gets going it will out compete the slime algae.

 

[joshinjosh]

you can always add extra live rock/rubble rock in the refugium

 

[MarineTeng]

somepeople like mini brittlestars and bristle worms in their cheato too, i just picked some mini brittlestars out of my main tank and put them into my fuge, question, if the leg is still moving after it's pulled will it grow into it's own star?

 

[The Apprentice]

Good question Chris

I too have 4 refugium's Chris One is BB ( SUMP) 1 is a Miracal mud unit and I have 2 more smaller ones ( CPR) hang on the back units One of the CPR units has CC and sand in it the other has larger Rubble in it. They all do a great job of Removing waste and they all do a great job OF MAKING PODS. Now some times i do get a little Cyno red slime and I have noticed my Amphipod's will eat that stuff mine just love it so You Might give a Adalade a PM
( Ladygator) and seed you fuge with some POds. Now if your tank has some just give the fuge a little time and they will take it over

Hey, I just set up a "refugium", which right now consists of a deep sand bed and a big ball of cheato. What other critters and plants are good for a refugium? I am getting that red algae on the sand and plenty of pods right now. I am thinking those mexican turbo snails for the red algae...... I am intrigued by the mangrove idea, does anybody know where to get one?
-chris

 

[mcvicker]

Thanks for the input

Thanks everyone for the input. I already have pods crawling all over the cheato and glass, some are definitely amphipods but there are two other types that I can't figure out (I am calling them copepods for now....). I want to add rubble, but am cheap. What are some good options other than buying live rock? Can you use concrete and not poison the tank?
-chris

 

[MarineTeng]

ya, it's called argocrete, go to www.garf.org, beware though you can take months to cure the concrete to make it reef safe, straight concrete will kil your reef, make the pH rocket way up, read on garf for a argocrete mix