Clean up crew in refugium

[dib]

I have a sump with a small refugium in it with live rock and sand. Eventually I will add some macro algae. Should there be some snails or anything in there to help clean it a little?

 

[JFrar]

I do, hermits/snails/starfish...i think thats it...its not many though its a 12-15 gallon something like that and maybe 3-5 hermits 5-7 snails and 1 starfish

 

[davocean]

No CUC in mine, and mine is mainly for breeding pods, so definitely nothing that I think would eat them.
LR rubble and chaeto, and that's it.

 

[Sacohen]

Do you have a sand bed in your Fuge?
I'm going to be setting one up and have been reading a lot of different opinions.

I'm using it more to control phosphates and nitrates then to cultivate copepods.

Should there be sand or bare bottom?

What about this Miracle Mud?

Should there be Live Rubble?

I'm going to have cheato in there and possibly some other macro algae.

 

[davocean]

I personally do not keep sand in my fuge, no need w/ chaeto and I don't want it near pumps.
Most of the time one macro will outcompete, so often you end up w/ just one kind anyway unless you put a bit of effort into providing area and needs.
I'm not a fan of mud, see no need, tried it once and it just dirtied up my tank, removed it and tank cleared right up, I'm over that little experiment!
Unless your fuge is pretty big I would not expect to see huge nutrient export, but they are great for pods and PH stability w/ a reverse light cycle incorporated.
They do help a little w/ nutrient export, but GFO or biopellets will do much more in less space.

 

[Sacohen]

Thanks for the input.
I'm running GFO and Carbon in 2 BRS single reactors and I have a De-nitrification chamber for Nitrates.

Levels are pretty much in check. I'm not sure if I really need a fuge, but I was building a sump so I put one in.

 

[davocean]

A fuge was originally designed for the purpose of providing pods a safe place to breed, lacking of predation, hence the term refugium from the word refuge.
The other benefits are secondary, yes macro will help w/ nutrient export, but it takes a fair amount for significant results in that area.
My thoughts are hey, we all go as big as we can for a sump for water volume/stability/gear, and if you have space it's really nothing more than adding a baffle or two, so why not have one, I mean the benefits are great, PH stability, and one of the best constant live food sources in pods.
Even if you don't keep mandarins other fish will eat them, I see my anthias peck at them, my copperband too, I'm sure others do too, and if you do keep mandarins or the ruby red dragonettes or similar a fuge is essential.

 

[dib]

Great info! Thanks everyone!

 

[Sacohen]

Thanks davocean.

 

[wowkingjames]

My refuge has mud then sand and i'm growing cheato and caulerpa and it's for cultivate copepods and it's ready for mangrove.