refugium help

[nanonøkk]

If you have an AIO tank, then the chambers might not get enough light for the macro algae to grow.

An algae scrubber could be hung on the side of the tank and it has it's own light source to grow algae.

i have a innovative marine tank i think it’s the nuveo

 

[smacbride]

i have a innovative marine tank i think it’s the nuveo

It looks like those have a black piece of glass between the tank and the chambers, so they won't have any light on them to grow your macro algae. You will have to put it into your main display. Unless you can come up with a way to put a light on the back chamber.

 

[SMSREEF]

That should be fine. If you added chaeto, it probably used all of your NO3. Do you use a skimmer? I have to turn off my skimmer and I have had to turn down my fuge light from 10 hours down to 6, I run it for 45 minutes, then 30 off throughout the night, opposite of my DT. I run my skimmer for 2 hours, then off for 3. This is beginning to help my NO3 and PO4 to not bottom out.

This is fantastic. My nutrients are too low yet I want the refugium light on at night to help keep ph up. I already took my skimmer offline.
I never thought of lights on for 45 then off for 30. I’m gonna change my schedule tonight.

 

[nanonøkk]

It looks like those have a black piece of glass between the tank and the chambers, so they won't have any light on them to grow your macro algae. You will have to put it into your main display. Unless you can come up with a way to put a light on the back chamber.

i thought that too but it turns out it’s black vinyl i saw the guy from a shop do a video and he was like oh let me just remove the vinyl on the back and it blew my mind

 

[nanonøkk]

This is fantastic. My nutrients are too low yet I want the refugium light on at night to help keep ph up. I already took my skimmer offline.
I never thought of lights on for 45 then off for 30. I’m gonna change my schedule tonight.

i didn’t even see that post and how dose it help ph

 

[SMSREEF]

i didn’t even see that post and how dose it help ph

The macro algae uses up CO2 in the water which helps the pH stay up At night rather than going down.

this is from @AlgaeBarn
“ plants (including macroalgae) take up carbon dioxide from their environment in order to store energy (i.e. make sugar) as well as to build biomass. Drawing carbon dioxide from water alters the carbonic acid balance such that it raises pH. Plants onlydo this while carrying out photosynthesis. The result is that (especially in a small, closed system like an aquarium) sharp pH swings can occur between day and night cycles.

In a reef tank loaded with hermatypic corals and clams, you might have a lot of photosynthetic activity happening during the “lights on” cycle; activity in the refugium can add to this if its lights run “on” concurrently. However, if its lights are on alternately, the refugium can perform a beneficial balancing act by stabilizing diurnal (i.e. day/night) pH values!”

 

[nanonøkk]

The macro algae uses up CO2 in the water which helps the pH stay up At night rather than going down.

this is from @AlgaeBarn
“ plants (including macroalgae) take up carbon dioxide from their environment in order to store energy (i.e. make sugar) as well as to build biomass. Drawing carbon dioxide from water alters the carbonic acid balance such that it raises pH. Plants onlydo this while carrying out photosynthesis. The result is that (especially in a small, closed system like an aquarium) sharp pH swings can occur between day and night cycles.

In a reef tank loaded with hermatypic corals and clams, you might have a lot of photosynthetic activity happening during the “lights on” cycle; activity in the refugium can add to this if its lights run “on” concurrently. However, if its lights are on alternately, the refugium can perform a beneficial balancing act by stabilizing diurnal (i.e. day/night) pH values!”

so i should run the light when my ai prime is off or should i also run it during the day

 

[SMSREEF]

so i should run the light when my ai prime is off or should i also run it during the day

You will get differing opinions.
I chose to run mine at night when my tank lights are off to hopefully keep pH from going down at night.
There are some submersible lights on amazon that may work. I have one on my 10 gallon quarantine (but is attached to the top, not submerged) and it grows macro algae and chaeto just fine.

 

[Ippyroy]

so i should run the light when my ai prime is off or should i also run it during the day

It is different for every tank. I have an apex so I always know my PH. I am trying to flatten the number. I am not chasing, but I want the number to be as constant as possible. My DT is on for 12 hours a day. My PH during the day is 8.27 with lights on. When they turned off it was 3-4 hours before my fuge light turned on and my PH fell to 8.1 during this time. Having the fuge light turn on and off allows my PH to stay more constant.
I tune the amount of time my light is on by how high my NO3 is. Chaeto uses nitrates much faster than phosphates. I am trying to figure out the correct schedule to maintain NO3, PO4, and PH in a nice flat line. Stability is key.

 

[nanonøkk]

You will get differing opinions.
I chose to run mine at night when my tank lights are off to hopefully keep pH from going down at night.
There are some submersible lights on amazon that may work. I have one on my 10 gallon quarantine (but is attached to the top, not submerged) and it grows macro algae and chaeto just fine.

ok i got the cheatomax i think it’s called

 

[nanonøkk]

It is different for every tank. I have an apex so I always know my PH. I am trying to flatten the number. I am not chasing, but I want the number to be as constant as possible. My DT is on for 12 hours a day. My PH during the day is 8.27 with lights on. When they turned off it was 3-4 hours before my fuge light turned on and my PH fell to 8.1 during this time. Having the fuge light turn on and off allows my PH to stay more constant.
I tune the amount of time my light is on by how high my NO3 is. Chaeto uses nitrates much faster than phosphates. I am trying to figure out the correct schedule to maintain NO3, PO4, and PH in a nice flat line. Stability is key.

ok should i post my lighting schedule so you have an idea what i can run mine at because my ph is always 8.3 during the day but i dont know what it is at night

 

[Ippyroy]

ok should i post my lighting schedule so you have an idea what i can run mine at because my ph is always 8.3 during the day but i dont know what it is at night

Test your PH it before the lights turn on, and after they turn off. BRS did a video on tuning a refugium. Mine took a couple of times to get it growing, now it grows like crazy. I use it as a means of mechanical filtration as well. I removed the filter socks from the sump and made that area my fuge. About 5 gallons out of a total 50 gallon system. It has sand, micro hermits, and a ton of snails that all eat detritus, as well as bristle worms. I have been able to maintain my NO3 at 3 and PO4 at around .05 - .07. My tank is still young so the phosphates are still binding to the sand and rocks. Hopefully that will finish soon and it will level out.
The amount of time you run your fuge light depends on your NO3 and PO4.

 

[nanonøkk]

Test your PH it before the lights turn on, and after they turn off. BRS did a video on tuning a refugium. Mine took a couple of times to get it growing, now it grows like crazy. I use it as a means of mechanical filtration as well. I removed the filter socks from the sump and made that area my fuge. About 5 gallons out of a total 50 gallon system. It has sand, micro hermits, and a ton of snails that all eat detritus, as well as bristle worms. I have been able to maintain my NO3 at 3 and PO4 at around .05 - .07. My tank is still young so the phosphates are still binding to the sand and rocks. Hopefully that will finish soon and it will level out.
The amount of time you run your fuge light depends on your NO3 and PO4.

ok do you think it will be different with my tank because it’s been up for 10 months

 

[Ippyroy]

Maybe, maybe not. Does your PO4 fluctuate? I don't know how long it takes. My rocks sat in a bucket with a pump and heater for 4 months before I even got my tank.

 

[nanonøkk]

Maybe, maybe not. Does your PO4 fluctuate? I don't know how long it takes. My rocks sat in a bucket with a pump and heater for 4 months before I even got my tank.

i don’t have test kit for po4 at the moment

 

[Ippyroy]

i don’t have test kit for po4 at the moment

Ok. If the fish and corals in the tank look happy, then don't change too much. Chasing numbers is very bad. Allow your tank to balance on it's own. Stability is the most important thing for corals.

 

[nanonøkk]

Ok. If the fish and corals in the tank look happy, then don't change too much. Chasing numbers is very bad. Allow your tank to balance on it's own. Stability is the most important thing for corals.

yea everything’s open up really good rn but the frogspawn is expelling something brown

 

[nanonøkk]

ok so i just got home and i had a thought to test almmonia dose this say zero or 0.2 in person it looks like 0