Lets talk about Refugiums

[JGoslee]

I'm looking to setup a nice sized refugium and could use some help. I've never had one before so I'm not positive what I should put into it. If you have a refugium could you share what you have in it and a little about your setup? Also post pics if you have any.

[dc_909]

chaeto in a basket and caulerpa prolifera

[NapoliNewJersey]

No pics but I have an ADHI refugium/sump.

I have about 4" sand, Cheato algae, 20lbs of rock, Nassarius, Cerith, hermits, and my heater.

[I-K@ndY]

I will use a 55g Refugium/sump on my holding tank that Pschyographic made for me. I am planning to put Deep sand bed maybe 6-8", Cheato,LR and hopeful Mangroves. Here's some pics from Pschyographic...

[gflat65]

I run various algaes in mine. I've got several types of Caulerpa, Chaeto, some bronw egg noodle looking stuff, something Laurie sent me some time back (Cadium or somethign like that), etc., etc. I've also got some rubble piled up in areas (pod condos). I run lighting over it 24/7. I don;t currently have a sand bed in either one under the displays, but they are 'temp' setups until I can finish the room (nothing in the way now except overcomign being so freakin lazy...). I will run a sand bed, though-at least 4". Mine in the past have been low flow zones, with water feeding from a Tee from the display lines to one end (with a ball valve to reduce flow). I've always wanted to believe that the lower flow lets more settle out...

[Pitcom]

Chaeto is pretty much the safest of algaes to use in a refugium. It's the not the fastest growing algae available, but it is hardy. It's not going to go sexual like caulerpa and is less likely to have a die off and release its contents back into the column. Grape and Feather Caulerpa will grow very fast provided they have stuff to live off of. I'm a big fan of mud, not sand for the bed of your fuge. I personally use the miracle mud. I would also throw in some small pieces of live rock. It just creates a nice enviroment for the pods and hundreds of those tiny white starfish. You don't need an off cycle for light for the fuge so 24/7 is perfectly fine. I use some cheap pc lighting for mine and it works well. DEFINATELY filter the water with a sponge or sock before the fuge if you go with chaeto. If not detritus can build up in the chaeto and deprive it of flow and light. It's actually pretty simple and efficient. The pics of the tank that pnoyreefer showed works pretty well. I haven't seen it talked about much but a good flow rate for a fuge is around 250-350gph, especially for chaeto.

[JGoslee]

Great info guys.

Steve that fuge is awesome! Thats pretty much exactly what I want.

[gflat65]

Caulerpa won't go sexual under 24 hours light. Like other plants and trees, the light cycle is what triggers flowering, etc. Caulerpa definitely outcompetes other algaes, though. I'm not a fan of Caulerpa, but I have tons of it (and can't seem to get rid of it) and it seems to pull out a lot of nutrient (if pruned-i.e. ripped out en masse- regularly). Chaeto can be a useful filter floss that can be swished out in WC water to clean it up, which gives it an added benefit. The fact that the algae can transfer from the fuge to the tank, Chaeto is much easier to control.