New display refugium

[Creighton Hix]

Hello All! I am going to add a 75g display refugium to a 125g reef tank. Do I need to cycle the 75g fuge before bringing it fully online with the system?

 

[Lasse]

Hello All! I am going to add a 75g display refugium to a 125g reef tank. Do I need to cycle the 75g fuge before bringing it fully online with the system?

IMO - nope!

Sincerely Lasse

 

[stovenut]

As long are you're not adding a bunch of new dry rock you will be fine. What are you going to feature in your display fuge?

 

[Lasse]

As long are you're not adding a bunch of new dry rock you will be fine

Why should that change anything - what is the disadvantage if he were to fill it with dry stone and connect it to a well working DT?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[stovenut]

Why should that change anything - what is the disadvantage if he were to fill it with dry stone and connect it to a well working DT?

Sincerely Lasse

Sigh. Why do people have to go there? The change would be from the rock leaching any number of things into the system, causing a spike in phosphates, nitrates or even unwanted heavy metals like copper. This would not be healthy for a well working DT. You can fill your refugium with dry stone and see how it goes. People asked for advice. The best advice is to avoid adding large amounts of dry rock to a healthy system. You can look all over these forums for evidence that dry rock is not clean rock, especially if the rock was used in another reefer's system.

 

[Lasse]

Sigh. Why do people have to go there? The change would be from the rock leaching any number of things into the system, causing a spike in phosphates, nitrates or even unwanted heavy metals like copper. This would not be healthy for a well working DT. You can fill your refugium with dry stone and see how it goes. People asked for advice. The best advice is to avoid adding large amounts of dry rock to a healthy system. You can look all over these forums for evidence that dry rock is not clean rock, especially if the rock was used in another reefer's system.

With the term dry rocks we normally mean rocks from ancient coral reefs mined on land (as Marco rocks) - and the problems with them - as many understand nowadays - is not that they leak phosphate - more the opposite - they absorb phosphate and can total deplete a new started system from phosphate - creating dino problems and so on. In a good working DT - there needs to be a lot of dry rocks, if the water column should be total depleted of phosphate - the rocks already in the system will act as a PO4 buffert.

Nitrate can´t leak out - because there is no way that nitrate can be stored chemically or biologically in rocks. It can be created from breakdown organics by nitrification of the ammonium the bacteria produce in the mineralization process but dry rocks mined on land does not contain organic matter. Neither metals like copper.

If a rock have been used in another reef before - it is more a living rock and if they not have medicated with copper - the rocks does not leak any copper.

Finally the - the OP - ask if he/she could connect a refugium without cycling - and a refugium very seldom contain rocks whatever.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[mindme]

Hello All! I am going to add a 75g display refugium to a 125g reef tank. Do I need to cycle the 75g fuge before bringing it fully online with the system?

No, you are fine.

What do you plan to put in it?

 

[Creighton Hix]

No, you are fine.

What do you plan to put in it?

Macro algae garden. Maybe seahorses or something.. undecided on critters. Suggestions or pics appreciated..

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Macro algae garden. Maybe seahorses or something.. undecided on critters. Suggestions or pics appreciated..

Is the 75 gallon going to have anything in it producing ammonia PRIOR to when you tie it into the 125? As long as you don't immediately add a huge additional bioload, no need to worry about cycling it. But if for some reason the 75 builds up a lot of ammonia, then you wouldn't want that flooding your main system all at once. I hope that made sense

 

[Creighton Hix]

Is the 75 gallon going to have anything in it producing ammonia PRIOR to when you tie it into the 125? As long as you don't immediately add a huge additional bioload, no need to worry about cycling it. But if for some reason the 75 builds up a lot of ammonia, then you wouldn't want that flooding your main system all at once. I hope that made sense

Nah.. I add livestock slowly. I will use rock that was once part of the main display and has been in the fuge in my sump for a long time, also will use live sand. So, it should have a decent biofilter starting out. I just worry about causing a "mini cycle" in my display and causing algae problems.

 

[Creighton Hix]

Sigh. Why do people have to go there? The change would be from the rock leaching any number of things into the system, causing a spike in phosphates, nitrates or even unwanted heavy metals like copper. This would not be healthy for a well working DT. You can fill your refugium with dry stone and see how it goes. People asked for advice. The best advice is to avoid adding large amounts of dry rock to a healthy system. You can look all over these forums for evidence that dry rock is not clean rock, especially if the rock was used in another reefer's system.

I will be using rock that was once part of my display for 6 years and is now in the refugium section of my sump.

 

[bar|none]

Following. I am also adding a display refugium but cycling that now first before adding and cycling the main display as it is not built yet.

Also wondering what to put in there. I am thinking some decorative macro-algae + some coral, maybe a fish or two. The trick I think will be to select things that don't eat the macro and that are a different eco-system than the main display which will be SPS dominant. Interested in what you come up with and if you find any relevant threads.

For me it will be for bio-diversity and enjoyment rather than export.