I am in the process of building a refugium and have some questions. Should I take out my chemical filters when I add chaetomorpha Algae and copepods to my refugium? Do the chemical filters, such as Chempure kill copepods? Also, what are the best sites or brands of copepods?
Refugium questions
- Thread starter sawdavis
- Start date
- Tagged users None
BostonReefer300
Valuable Member
Chemipure won't hurt anything, but you'll be competing for nutrients with your chaeto. Maybe take the chemipure out when you start the refugium and just use activated carbon in addition. For copepods, you can get them at Algaebarn by mail. Reef Nutrition also sells them. Good luck
Thanks for your quick reply. I'm not sure I understand what you mean about competing for nutrients with chaeto. Who are the competitors? Also, I was wondering if I should take out the sponge filters. I am worried that they will trap the copepods and prevent them from swimming to the display tank.
BostonReefer300
Valuable Member
Nitrates and phosphates are sequestered by various types of media----and both are also soaked up by chaeto. They're all used to reduce / manage these nutrients in order to control nuisance algae. Unless you've got a really bad nutrient overload, you don't want to double up on removal methods or you'll completely deplete nutrients which is then bad for corals (and can lead to a dreaded outbreak of dinos). Regarding sponge/mechanical filters, just don't put any between your refugium and the DT return. Sure some pods will get caught by sponges or socks on the DT drain side, but oh well. Most pods spend most of their time on rocks/sand anyway---and the swimming ones end up as fish food
Similar threads
