Who here runs a refugium/algae nutrient sink?

[Paintguru]

I'm thinking of putting one into my sump (just a bucket with holes and some algae inside) to help combat some in tank algae issues. I have noticed many tanks employ some sort of refugium/algae filter....I'm just curious who here does and what their experiences are with them.

 

[Pitcom]

I'm thinking of putting one into my sump (just a bucket with holes and some algae inside) to help combat some in tank algae issues. I have noticed many tanks employ some sort of refugium/algae filter....I'm just curious who here does and what their experiences are with them.

I have 2 refugiums on my tank. They are my only means of filtration other than a prefilter sponge. I love them. I use chaeto and some pc lighting and its just worked out great for me. It's pod heaven and it supplies alot of food for my possum wrasses. I've never meausred nits higher than 3-4 and i feed alot and have a very heavy fish load. I had an algae issue at first but my tang ate it all so i havent seen any in months. The chaeto in my refugium has actually turned into a food source for my orange shoulder tang. He has really adopted a liking to it and goes crazy when i give him some. It's been a winning situation. Good Luck.

I forgot to add, there is approx 10 pounds of miracle mud used as substrate.

 

[jandlms]

I use a section of my sump as a refugium with chaeto and mud for the substrate. The lighting over the sump is pc on 24/7. Other than some valonia and a few interesting macros my tank is algae free and my nitrates are usually at zero. I can't get my purple tang to touch the chaeto though.

 

[NapoliNewJersey]

I have an ADHI 45 sump with refugium. I love it. I have a light that runs at night when my halides are off and I have a DSB, live rock, cheato, and millions of pods. The sump also has nass snails, ceriths, and hermits.

None of my 3 tangs will eat cheato. My seahorse tank that is plumbed to my sump is packed with pods as well .. which is the only thing my horses will eat. And I have a manderin fish that only eats pods in my 120. So besides being a filter it's also a large sorce of food for my tanks.

 

[J. Montgomery]

I don't have a sump, nor is my tank drilled. I use a hang on back CPR AquaFuge II (large) that has chaeto and some sand in it. My mandarin got fat after I added it. I'm not one for testing, but I assume its working b/c my chaeto doubles in size every week. All those nutrients its utilizing aren't being used by algae in the tank!

 

[dc_909]

I use this as my setup and I love it

 

[Hypertek99]

Hey J.Montgomery what pump are you using with the cpr??? I have the cpr also and the pods are chowing down on the chaeto i have almost none left. I have a maxijet 400 but i think it's too little flow.

 

[J. Montgomery]

My AquaFuge II came with a Rio 600 pump. I have it dialed down to prevent bubbles from entering the tank, so the flow is quite low.

 

[Patwa]

I use a sump/refugium combo I custom built myself...I have one running on each of my systems (display and frag tanks).

These refugiums are full of Xenia, as that is my primary method of nutrient export, next to the live-rock. I use chaetomorpha on a limited basis, although i do reap a good amount every 2 wks or so

Oh, in my display's fuge, I also have a single 6 year old, 2ft tall mangrove that sits in a custom tub of miracle mud.

Zach