New tank setup Questions

[dwair]

So I'm not new to reefing, I've had multiple tanks of varying sizes throughout the past 10 years. Something I've always wanted to do but just never have is setup a refugium. I just bought the Cade Reef 600 S2 and I'm determined to do a refugium this time. Where the skimmer section is in the sump is where my Fuge will be. 12.5g of space, which for a 57g tank, I think will be good.

My plan is to have the filter sock, then into the fuge, which I want layered with 1-2 inch of miracle mud on bottom, then cuullerpa Prolifera tied to small rocks and put on top of the mud. Along with some Chaeto in the water. Then it goes to the 3 media baskets which I'll have Bio Balls in 2 of the baskets and chemi pure in another. Then it goes to the return pump and back to the tank. I plan to light it with the AI Prime Fuge Light. Also plan on seeding it heavily with varying species of pods and feeding the ocean phyto until it seems self sustaining.

My question is, when do I set this fuge up. I plan on using dry rock/live special grade sand. Along with turbo start and nitrocycle from algaebarn (I'm used to bio-spira, but trying this). Usually with Bio-spira I add fish immediately, with turbo start and nitrocycle, im not sure, might wait a couple of weeks. I had originally planned on setting it all up from the start, but I'm questioning that decision as there won't be a bioload really in the tank, even if I add a fish or 2, not much of a bioload. I'm afraid the macroalgae will just die off until I get a proper bioload in the tank.

Thoughts on all this?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

It is part of your filtration system and should be set up either initially or within 2 weeks.of start up imo.
Really you can add a fuge to a reef whenever. Lol. Please wait 2-3 weeks before adding fish. I dont care what chemicals or products u use. Fish can feel too.
Hths u.
D

 

[lelandmarine]

i think all at the same time. You could test your nitrate and phosphate and if low either add a little bit of fish food or Nitrate and Phosphate for the macro algae.

 

[BostonReefer300]

IME adding macroalgae before you have a good bioload going isn't good. You just turn your tank into a nutrient desert and then the macroalgae dies off. Given how hard it is to find clean chaeto in particular these days, I'd wait. Question for you: no skimmer?

 

[dwair]

IME adding macroalgae before you have a good bioload going isn't good. You just turn your tank into a nutrient desert and then the macroalgae dies off. Given how hard it is to find clean chaeto in particular these days, I'd wait. Question for you: no skimmer?

Yep no skimmer

 

[brandon429]

if you skip disease preps, you have an 80% chance of losing most of your fish within eight months. source for claims= read any group of five pages in the disease forum, discern age of tank, let me know if you see different % at work

fish disease loss is the creeper getter, its not about cycling. anything you do will complete a cycle, its disease to watch out for. develop your plan based on reads in the disease forum and doing reverse of how those entrants started the reefs.

 

[dwair]

Everything will be QT.

 

[srobertb]

IME adding macroalgae before you have a good bioload going isn't good. You just turn your tank into a nutrient desert and then the macroalgae dies off. Given how hard it is to find clean chaeto in particular these days, I'd wait. Question for you: no skimmer?

A few years ago when you needed chaeto you just asked and 10 people begged you to come pick up a bucket.

“my” LFS recently tried to sell me a golf ball worth of chaeto for $30 because it was a “double portion.” I’m glad I looked at the bag because it was 90% caulerpa

Ended up purchasing on eBay. I spent a total of $40 for a baseball size of chaeto. I don’t know what happened but I agree with what you said. At these prices and rarity I’d feel like I would need to make sure I kept it well fed and/or use some chaetogrow. I think I’ve been monitoring it for growth as closely as I monitor my corals this past week.

 

[Screwgunner]

That is why I went ATS it grows on it own and almost 0 nutrients plus you can feed the algae to your tangs ,foxface ,eat. My cousin started his tank the sametime I started mine he went cheato . First batch melted. He got a new light and he is now in business.