Refugium size vs tank size & macro algae

[smalltime]

I understand any size refugium to be better than none. Bigger is better but is there a rule like 1 gallon refugium to 20 gallons of display to be effective. What size refugium to size of tank?
My goal is to lower nutrients.

Also types of macro algae and pro's and con's

 

[mmkeeper]

As to size I don't have an answer as to macro cheato is the macro of choice by most around these parts.

 

[Reeferdude]

The long and short of it. No rules. Macro have different charactistics. Find the one/ones you like, may differ if your refugium is a display fuge as well and provide it what it needs. Light, water, food and it'll grow like weeds...

 

[Krish]

IMO, it mostly depends on your bioload and how much excess nutrients is produced. I kept a pretty clean tank and had 0 nitrates without a fuge of any sort... All depends on the setup. A fuge wouldn't have been beneficial for my setup at all regardless of size as there would not have really been any food source (besides light) for the macro to feed on. With that being said, where a "rule" is concerned (fuge:aquarium) I don't think I've ever heard of one, but go with what works best for your system...

 

[smalltime]

Size for refugium - I've always read bigger is better but I've never seen an actual rule to follow. I have a 90 gallon display and my refugium will be on the small side of around 10gallon. It's all that will fit under my stand. I tried to talk my wife into a 24g cube next to my display but I got a quick anwser to that. I've seen other refugium / frag tanks all in one that look cool. They use eggcrate to seperate top/bottom, put macro on the bottom and frag tank on the upper side. Save on lights.

 

[Krish]

The main thing that's good with size is the more water volume you have, the more stabilty your system will have which is why people push for "bigger" which you can do. It's all in the amount of macro you use though. Some systems require more than others so you'll have to determine what your system's needs are

 

[DonW]

It just plain takes alot of macro to do alot. I'd say most peoples refugiums dont do much in the way of export, but they look sort of cool.

Don

 

[Sherman]

Smalltime, I also wanted to re-affirm that chaetomorph is your only real option, here in CA. All caulerpas are illegal here. Chaeto is a very fast grower and is easy to maintain. Your 10g will work just fine. I use chaeto for nutrient export, and end up removing about half of it every month, or so.

 

[smalltime]

Thank you for all the responces. When it comes down to it - something is better than nothing.

 

[acrodesiac]

my two cents, better late than never

Let us not forget another very real purpose of a refugium, microfauna "refuge". In order for this to be signifantly effective the "refuge" needs to be upstream from the display tank. I have experimented with many different refugiums over the years and have found the upstream design to be the most efective. IMO if your fuge is under your tank you might as well clean it out and buy a bigger skimmer