How to add a hob refugium

[tunde1228]

I have a 45 gallon that is doing fairly well. Nitrates run up to 10-15 ppm so I do a weekly water change of 15 gallons and it comes down a bit. I would like to add a HOB refugium but am unsure how to safely do it. I would like use a sand bed with some rubble rock and put in some algae. Can I use some sand out of the main tank and add a small bag of store bought live sand ? The rubble will come from a bucket of rock that was extra from
the tank.(it's been in a bucket with an air pump and heater for about two weeks). Am I thinking correctly or will this cause another cycle. Thanks

 

[tunde1228]

The 45 has been running for about 4 months.

 

[laskopyre]

You can check the water with the rubble to see what the levels are there. If the levels are good, then I wouldn't worry to much about a new cycle happening. I wouldn't buy live sand from a store, you can ask one of the club people close to you for a cup of sand from their tank.

 

[tunde1228]

Thanks Chuck.

 

[inactive]

You can always cycle the fuge on the side independently then hook it up when its levels are out. Or you can just add the fuge and run it without rock/sand and add slow amounts of dry stuff. All depends on what you want to risk.. personally I would just add it and get it going but that's me.

 

[Yellowtang]

Skip buying the live sand in a bag and you should be just fine.

JR,