Refugium help Waterbox reef lx290.6

[N11morales]

Hello, so I had been running chaeto in my water box reef lx 290.6
nutrients were 55 nitrate and phosphate .05

Increased light period from 8 hrs to 14 hrs a day. (while also doing water changes to get nutrients under control)

Currently my nitrate is 20 and phosphate is .1

My refugium is covered in hair algae. Grows extremely fast it took over my chaeto. I tried to save it, but its just too much hair algae.
Could this have happened due to the light period being so long and the phosphate going up .05?

I'm currently using a tunze eco chic waterpoor light as my light source. Should I get a stronger light for this size of a system? Its roughly total of 275G

Sump chamber is 9.8" × 20.4"

Should I try an algae turf scrubber instead?

Should I try a different type of macro algae?

Any help/ideas on how to get my chaeto to tumble in this style of refugium chamber?

I have a reef mat then goes into refugium chamber then skimmer. How the sump is set up I couldn't put the skimmer before the refugium.

Thanks for any help!

 

[TX_REEF]

algae turf scrubbers are far more efficient than refugiums, and they don't have light spill that causes algae where you don't want it. If your goal is pure nutrient reduction, that's the way to go. Refugiums are great, but not nearly as space-efficient. I personally like my fuge because it is enjoyable to look at and is a home for non-reef-safe critters.

 

[N11morales]

algae turf scrubbers are far more efficient than refugiums, and they don't have light spill that causes algae where you don't want it. If your goal is pure nutrient reduction, that's the way to go. Refugiums are great, but not nearly as space-efficient. I personally like my fuge because it is enjoyable to look at and is a home for non-reef-safe critters.

what do u use in ur refugium and what light?

I would love to keep a refugium if possible for copepods/other organisms to live in.

My main concern is nitrate and phosphate though.

 

[TX_REEF]

I used feather caulerpa and mangroves in my refugium, but it has since died off I believe because my corals consume most if not all of the nutrients in the frag system. I use a kessil H80 ( https://amzn.to/4977tYj ) with barn doors ( https://amzn.to/4o1aHk5 ) to prevent light spill:

 

[Naekuh]

ATS definitely over a refugium.
I have had both, and ATS are Infinitely more CLEANER then a refugium.
Only problem is they are not as hospitable with Copods as refugiums are, so if you have fish that are totally dependant on them like a Mandarin Goby, id recommend the ATS TX_Reef states.

Only problem is you NEED to tune the ATS or it will scrub too much and make your tank a ULN tank, which will set u up for a lot of bad things to come unless you know what ur doing or your tank is already a ULN tank.

 

[N11morales]

ATS definitely over a refugium.
I have had both, and ATS are Infinitely more CLEANER then a refugium.
Only problem is they are not as hospitable with Copods as refugiums are, so if you have fish that are totally dependant on them like a Mandarin Goby, id recommend the ATS TX_Reef states.

Only problem is you NEED to tune the ATS or it will scrub too much and make your tank a ULN tank, which will set u up for a lot of bad things to come unless you know what ur doing or your tank is already a ULN tank.

Which ATS do you recommend?

Pro External Algae Turf Scrubber - IceCap is 500$ right now.​

​

Is there a different one u recommend?

How often do you typically have to scrap algae turf scrubbers? Once a week? or really depends on the system itself.​

 

[TX_REEF]

I used a Small icecap scrubber on my 90 gallon total volume system and had to remove it because it worked too well

Icecap: https://amzn.to/4hS0o0g

You can also DIY, I think ATS prices are oddly inflated for plug and play options:

 

[Naekuh]

I also use a medium ice cap.

However many reefers also recommend the santa monica brand, and almost made me get one even.

But my ATS goes on 30 min b4 my tank goes into night mode... and turns off 30 min after my lights start the daylight cycle.

I do this so my PH doesn't crash, and gives the algae full dominion to grow in my ATS with very little competition at that time zone.

As for how often i clean the mesh... like every month? i get a dense thick algae growing on it... take my power scrubber and scrub 4/5th of it off, and allow the top 1/5 to grow out again for the month.

If you scrub EVERYTHING off, it may crash your system as you will need time for the algae to foothold again.

But you want to leave some on so growth is accelerated.

 

[BryanM]

I am also a huge fan of algae turf scrubbers.

I use a surf4 from santa monica.

 

[exnisstech]

I'm happy with my SM surf scrubbers.
Tangs are happy as well. I rarely feed nori, I feed this instead. 6 days growth.

I've kept chaeto fuges and pods did very well. I find they do just fine in a dark chamber full of rock with sponges and worms.

 

[BryanM]

I'm happy with my SM surf scrubbers.
Tangs are happy as well. I rarely feed nori, I feed this instead. 6 days growth.

I've kept chaeto fuges and pods did very well. I find they do just fine in a dark chamber full of rock with sponges and worms.

btw, how do you feed the turf algae to everyone? I've tried and they ignore it.

 

[exnisstech]

btw, how do you feed the turf algae to everyone? I've tried and they ignore it.

I feed it in a diy mesh bag on a clip. They were already used to me feeding nori out of the bag.

 

[Naekuh]

I used a Small icecap scrubber on my 90 gallon total volume system and had to remove it because it worked too well

Icecap: https://amzn.to/4hS0o0g

You can also DIY, I think ATS prices are oddly inflated for plug and play options:

I think Joey is awesome for freshwater monster fish, but i think he's a complete failure as a salt water aquariumist when i saw him dump in like 15 yellow tangs without QT, and what seemed to me very little research on the fish, because it ended up with all of them dying.

So yeah, as much as i will follow him if i intend to rekeep a red asian arrowana, which i probably wont be able to keep unless i move to Canada, but salt water recommendation, i would take him for a extremely large pinch of salt.

 

[BryanM]

I feed it in a diy mesh bag on a clip. They were already used to me feeding nori out of the bag.

Thanks, I'll give this a try. I was just chopping it up a bit and tossing it in the tank, and no one cared.

 

[N11morales]

ended up getting a santa monica drop 10 algae turf scrubber. Its so loud though... Even with the lid above the water lvl I can hear the bubbles across the room. Also the large air pump I had to get vibrates loud. He has another one he recommends I may try to get the different pump.

The bubbles hoping settle down? I'm not sure what else to do. I tried so many things yesterday for 4 hrs at least lol to try and get it dialed in. The air control built into the drop 10 only allowing bubbles into the scrubber if its fully open. If i close it at all no bubbles and less air sound. If i open al lthe way I hear a rush of air from the control and huge bubbles throwing water around.

thinking of just going back to fuge and call it a loss