Calling All Refugium Experts

[popalud]

Hey all! I'm building my mixed reef system (mainly softies/LPS but may throw a candy cane or two in), and looking for guidance for design of my refugium. Starting with a new UNS R75, I'm looking for input on the phasing and needs as the R75 comes with an area for refugium setup. My thoughts (please provide feedback):

1- Wait until cycle is completed and a few livestock have been acclimated
2- Add Miracle Mud substrate/cycled dry rock from the tank (I'm planning on placing a sponge filter between the refugium and return pump tank)
3- Add AB Cheato
4- Install UNS FS Refuge light
5- Add AB 5280 Pods
6- Enjoy a maintenance free aquarium for decades! (i wish)

Does this make sense, or should I wait until I have corals in my system? Does adding an air stone increase the benefits to the Cheato? Do I need a pod hotel? Is there a benefit to adding some of the pods to the display tank as well as the refugium? Cleanup crew in the refugium?

Looking forward to responses.

 

[jonelder68]

I’d wait until your system has fish who are generating nutrients/poop to feed the refugium. A great time to add is when NO3 and PO4 are steadily increasing. You can add right away but plan on having to dose NO3 and PO4. Don’t let them bottom out or you’ll have a tank full of Dino’s

Pods are great to add before fish so they can settle in and populate before fish are introduced and start consuming them. Pods just need sand and/or rocks to live in. Once the refugium is set up add another bottle to seed it.

Airstone will probably just create an abundance of salt creep around the sump. I don’t see a need for it. If the refugium lacks much flow you could add a pump or powerhead to keep the water moving. Macro algae’s seem to do best in high flow to keep detritus etc from building up. Best if constant tumbling but doesn’t necessarily have to be.

No real need for cuc in refugium. But you can. I have a few blue leg crags to climb around my Pom Pom to pick out GHA if it decides to try and grow. Then 2 turbos to keep the glass cleaned.

 

[popalud]

I’d wait until your system has fish who are generating nutrients/poop to feed the refugium. A great time to add is when NO3 and PO4 are steadily increasing. You can add right away but plan on having to dose NO3 and PO4. Don’t let them bottom out or you’ll have a tank full of Dino’s

Pods are great to add before fish so they can settle in and populate before fish are introduced and start consuming them. Pods just need sand and/or rocks to live in. Once the refugium is set up add another bottle to seed it.

Airstone will probably just create an abundance of salt creep around the sump. I don’t see a need for it. If the refugium lacks much flow you could add a pump or powerhead to keep the water moving. Macro algae’s seem to do best in high flow to keep detritus etc from building up. Best if constant tumbling but doesn’t necessarily have to be.

No real need for cuc in refugium. But you can. I have a few blue leg crags to climb around my Pom Pom to pick out GHA if it decides to try and grow. Then 2 turbos to keep the glass cleaned.

Thanks! I appreciate it. Any opinion on adding the mud before the cycle?

 

[jonelder68]

Thanks! I appreciate it. Any opinion on adding the mud before the cycle?

I don’t have much experience with it. But I would add it during set up.

 

[commod0re]

I have an R90, very similar sump - whatever skimmer you add will make plenty of bubbles, no need to add an airstone, and flow through the sump should be sufficient to not need an extra powerhead as well. The UNS fuge light is nice, I just got mine a few days ago

 

[popalud]

I have an R90, very similar sump - whatever skimmer you add will make plenty of bubbles, no need to add an airstone, and flow through the sump should be sufficient to not need an extra powerhead as well. The UNS fuge light is nice, I just got mine a few days ago

I think I've checked out your set up but I'll go back and take a look. I'm hoping to avoid a skimmer by a keeping a small bioload. At least that's the plan, and everyone know how plans go...

 

[commod0re]

I think I've checked out your set up but I'll go back and take a look. I'm hoping to avoid a skimmer by a keeping a small bioload. At least that's the plan, and everyone know how plans go...

Oh I see! Very cool, no worries, I think you still don’t need an airstone, but a powerhead in the skimmer chamber to add some surface agitation for gas exchange is probably not a bad idea

 

[UNS_Parker]

I think I've checked out your set up but I'll go back and take a look. I'm hoping to avoid a skimmer by a keeping a small bioload. At least that's the plan, and everyone know how plans go...

I added mud to my fuge during the cycling phase when I added pods. I would like to say it helped add some bacterial diversity to the system, but its hard to say for sure. I would hold off on setting up the refugium until you have some fish in there.

 

[Channas]

I agree with above posts, but i would skip the mud but that is my own preference and no reason behind it, i put sand in mine and live rock but i also like to grow other types of macro in the terms of caulerpa and gracularia dragons breath hypnea etc to feed my tangs with i will attach a bad pic of my sump that has recently been culled of macro to give you an idea of what can be done as Well

If your goal is to only grow chaeto i would try to make it tumble as perfectly as possible

 

[BryanM]

Have you considered an algae turf scrubber, basically a fuge on steriods

 

[popalud]

Have you considered an algae turf scrubber, basically a fuge on steriods

I learned about them but after jumping in with a new system, that’s gonna have to wait at those costs. Lol

 

[SantaMonica]

Macro won't grow much, if any, until you are feeding fish. But it's doesn't hurt.

Adding bubbles to the chaeto will just grow slime on the chaeto and choke it.

 

[Channas]

Well i start all my tanks with macro algae from the start when there is no Fish or much of anything yet, it works just fine but it wont grow as fast until fish are added.

 

[areefer01]

I'll be odd hobbyist out here and ask what is it that you want the refugium to do?

Nutrient export?
Pod and other life safe sanctuary free of predators?
Pod export for fish that eat/forage?
Junk drawer?

Nutrient export is macro algae. So light, macro algae that will consistently grow (bonus points if herbivores will eat it in the in the display). May need to supplement iron - something to watch out for or at least be aware.

Pod sanctuary or other small creatures such as snails, worms, etc? Can co-exist with macro algae for nutrient export. Pods and worms and micro / mini stars will find a way there if you are running a successful tank.

Pod export? Herein whereas I feel hobbyist get it wrong. Is there a natural path the pods and worms and snails can take from the refugium to the display? Pods != lemmings so won't just follow the herd. If there is macro algae, rubble, substrate, the pods will stay put and will not migrate to the display. Depending on how the two are plumbed they may also not make that journey. Furthermore, if there is any type of filter media (socks, mats, pads) the migration path has just been roadblocked.

Junk drawer? This is what typically happens. Isolation box for corals, small fish to grow out, frags, bad actors. Everything gets thrown in here because there is space. Before you know it you end up with a very natural looking nano tank because it is out of sight out of mind. In sump chamber is a bit different but I've seen it happen.

Fuge, refugium, is basically a refuge from predators on the most basic sense.