Is a small refugium better than no refugium?

[JSully_94]

Hello Everyone,

I’m contemplating adding a refugium to my 20 gallon AIO. My choices are either adding an InTank Fuge Basket and Innovative Marine CheaetoMax LED to a back compartment (the small, inexpensive route) or buying the Reef Octopus Macroalgae Light reactor (the expensive but larger option). So my question to you all is would a smaller, albeit cheaper, refugium be better than no refugium in the short term? Or, would you just bite the bullet and buy the reactor as it will accommodate larger aquariums down the road?

My thought process in debating these two options is 1. I’d save money in the short term by going the InTank route now, but 2. I’d like to have the Reef Octopus reactor as it will work now and also when I upgrade to a larger aquarium in the future...

PS I know the light reactor isn’t technically a refugium... but I’d get a similar benefit (nutrient export, the natural way)

Thoughts?

 

[X-37B]

I do not run a fuge on my 120 and did not run one on my 25 gal nano for 2 years.
I would rather have a skimmer, Tunze 9001dc, than a fuge. Ran one on my nano but it had a sump.
With a tank that size a weekly 2-3 gallon water change would be a better option, imo.
I ran a 3 gallon a week wc for 1 year on my nano before going to a no scheduled water change system.

 

[JSully_94]

I do not run a fuge on my 120 and did not run one on my 25 gal nano for 2 years.
I would rather have a skimmer, Tunze 9001dc, than a fuge. Ran one on my nano but it had a sump.
With a tank that size a weekly 2-3 gallon water change would be a better option, imo.
I ran a 3 gallon a week wc for 1 year on my nano before going to a no scheduled water change system.

Thanks for the insight! I do weekly three gallon water changes, usually on Sundays.

I have a skimmer, but for some reason I have a lot of hair algae. I guess I’m looking at setting up a refugium in the hopes it will help the algae issue. What did you or do you do for algae issues?

 

[Rjukan]

What's your nitrate? If you're not running really high, a fuge can do more harm than good imo.

 

[Jeffcb]

A little is ok. I like it. Maintain.

 

[doodledreads]

What are you phosphates and nitrates? You can look into carbon dosing and heavy skimming to reduce nutrients which help reduce GHA. Refugium is only one of several methods of nutrient control.

 

[doodledreads]

What's your nitrate? If you're not running really high, a fuge can do more harm than good imo.

how would refugium do more harm than good?

 

[JSully_94]

What's your nitrate? If you're not running really high, a fuge can do more harm than good imo.

As far as I can tell, my nitrate is 0... I use Redsea’s test kit. Honestly, it’s hard for me to interpret the colors sometimes.

 

[JSully_94]

What are you phosphates and nitrates? You can look into carbon dosing and heavy skimming to reduce nutrients which help reduce GHA. Refugium is only one of several methods of nutrient control.

Carbon dosing seems a little intimidating. Isn’t it dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing?

Phosphates, the last time I checked (Oct 17th) was 0.02 ppm using Hanna.

 

[JSully_94]

A little is ok. I like it. Maintain.

You like algae? Lol

 

[reefer024]

As far as I can tell, my nitrate is 0... I use Redsea’s test kit. Honestly, it’s hard for me to interpret the colors sometimes.

Have you manually removed it to see if it returns? What's your light time schedule?

 

[doodledreads]

Pics would help. Phosphate and nitrates being low doesnt mean anything if you have GHA taking it all up quickly.

Carbon dosing is quite easy but you will need a good skimmer and do it slow and consistently. A doser would really help. I recommend kamoer bluetooth doser, single head. You can use Nopox or other sources like vinegar, vodka. Time to do some research!

 

[X-37B]

Thanks for the insight! I do weekly three gallon water changes, usually on Sundays.

I have a skimmer, but for some reason I have a lot of hair algae. I guess I’m looking at setting up a refugium in the hopes it will help the algae issue. What did you or do you do for algae issues?

Do you use ro/di for makeup and top off water?
Astrea snails work well if the algae is short.
Have a pic it would help?

 

[JSully_94]

Have you manually removed it to see if it returns? What's your light time schedule?

I have manually removed it and it always seems to come back..

Here’s my lighting schedule. I’m running a ReefLED 50

 

[reefer024]

I have manually removed it and it always seems to come back..

Here’s my lighting schedule. I’m running a ReefLED 50

Is your light on for 12hrs kinda hard to tell from the graph?

 

[lotekfish]

My opinion, and this is just based on experience and logic, is that algae growing in the back is algae that isn't growing in the front. That's what seems to be true for me. The media basket, grow light, and chaeto is a fairly common setup in nano tank world. If you're concerned about short term investment vs long term, you could save some decent money by skipping the custom media basket. All you really need is some sort of screen to keep the chaeto in place. I'm sure there is some solution to this that exists at a dollar store, plus maybe a little ingenuity.

 

[Rjukan]

how would refugium do more harm than good?

If your nitrates are low/zero, and you run a fuge you're going to keep them that way. Your coral will never get a chance to absorb the nutrients because they are beat out by the algae. Ive also read that cyano and gha thrive in these environments, which is driving my new MO on my tank. So far I've seen great results in minimal cyano and gha by taking my fuge offline, running a skimmer, and feeding a lot more. Corals are looking great and growing as well.

 

[Jeffcb]

You like algae? Lol

yes.

 

[Coralsdaily]

Do you have a reason to run the refugium? What are you looking to achieve that you cannot without the refugium? at 20G, I almost wonder if it's easier to just upgrade the tank than to add a refugium and makes things more complicated?

 

[Jeffcb]

do it