Who is Using a Refugium for Nutrient Control?

[pterfloth]

I am interested in adding a refugium to my system, primarily to house macroalgae for nutrient control. I was wondering who is already doing this, what your experience has been and what you would recommend for my system. I have a 200 gal display tank and a 33 gal sump at present. I was either going to get a bigger sump and add a refugium section or plumb in a separate refugium.

I currently run zeolites, FM additives and have phosphates of ~0.00 and nitrates of <5 but am interested in a natural alternative.

How big should my refugium be and what type of macroalgae should I consider?

Your input would be very much appreciated.

[Snaz]

While a heck of lot smaller my 12 gallon has been running a chaeto refugium since May. I think Chaeto is the common macro to grow as there is little or no chance it will "go sexual" and foul up the water with spores.

That said often chaeto refugiums are often on a reverse light cycle so as to keep up pH during the night when regular lights are off and CO2 levels rise. Now I am reading that it might make more sense to leave the fuge lights on 24/7 as you get a better nutrient export.

Have I noticed my 12 gallons improve since the chaeto fuge? Hmm maybe, it sure grows a lot of chaeto!

[whatcaneyedo]

I grow both cheato and gracilaria. Some people I've talked to complain that certain types dont grow well for them while others grow extremely fast so you may want to try a few and see for youreself. As for size I'd recommend as big as you can fit. More water volume is always helpful for system stability.

[PoonTang]

Pat I am running a small 'fuge with my system and use cheato, LR, DSB. Go as big as you can, try to use a gravity return to your display tank, and use a reverse light cycle.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My 210g mixed reef has a 75g sump/refugium (50% fuge) with lots of extra LR & LR rubble, as well as different macro for nutrient export.

My 120g fowlr (now softie reef) has a 90g wide sump/refugium (66% fuge) with lots of LR & macroalgae for nutrient export.

[mark]

I have a 145g display and a 75g sump, to which I've added a 20g primarily Chaeto refugium.

Before the dedicated fuge always had zero or near zero NO3 and really no algae problems but did have a small area just between the baffles for Chaeto, so really can't say the dedicated 20g made a differance with nutrients.

[fkshiu]

I run a fuge with chaeto on a reverse light cycle. You know it's doing something because the macro is growing and taking up nutrients as it does so. A side benefit is that chaeto and other macroalgaes encourage a larger pod population by giving them a great place to reproduce.

[chandigz]

I have been running a skimmerless, mineral mud type sump/refugium on my 72 for 2 years now. I grow several types of caulerpa and chaeto on 24 hour lighting. I don't do a lot of water changes and still have undetectable nitrate and phosphate levels. Seems to work for me. I may eventually add a skimmer to create a hybred system, but everything is going good so I'm not sure if I want to change.

[Lance]

I have a 70g sump with a 31g refugium, with live rock and rubble and several kinds of macro algae, on a reverse light cycle, for the 225g mixed reef tank.

And a 54g sump with a 16g refugium with DSB, live rock & rubble and a very thick growth of macro algae, also on a reverse light cycle for the 90g mixed reef tank.

[naesco]

I am interested in adding a refugium to my system, primarily to house macroalgae for nutrient control. I was wondering who is already doing this, what your experience has been and what you would recommend for my system. I have a 200 gal display tank and a 33 gal sump at present. I was either going to get a bigger sump and add a refugium section or plumb in a separate refugium.

I currently run zeolites, FM additives and have phosphates of ~0.00 and nitrates of <5 but am interested in a natural alternative.

How big should my refugium be and what type of macroalgae should I consider?

Your input would be very much appreciated.

I would not add a refugium to your sump.
If you plumb a pipe between the sump pump and the tank and have the refugium sit higher than your tank here is what you can do. You place a valve between the pipe and refugium and restrict the flow to very slow. The inlet pipe simple hangs into your refugium and the out pipe comes from the top of your refugium and into the display tank. It is a gravity flow.
That way in addition to chaeto you can cultivate tonnes of pods and other things in the refugium to feed your large tank. The pipe from the refugium should go right down to the bottom of the display tank. If you do not do this, fish simply hang around the pipe and feed as the critters flow into the display tank.
I feed my refugium daily with phyto to encourage a highly populated refugium.

[BlueAbyss]

Caulerpa and Chaeto seem to be okay on a 24 hour photoperiod, but few (if any) other macros will tolerate this. Gracillaria needs a period of darkness every day for sure. Many people use refugiums as a source of food items (ie: pods) if they have no predators in there (no crabs, shrimps, fish, etc.)... others use them as a nutrient export. Many people have had good results combining a 'fuge with skimming and other filtration methods.

[Zoaelite]

I run two fuges and 2 DSP, mangroves in both of them. Truthfully I think that's where my success as a reefer comes from, fuges have so many benefits and are so much fun to watch.

Benefits Include:
Nutrient export.
Upstream fuges provide a constant pod supply for lower line tanks.
Slow flowing tank, great to mix with a DSP.
Fuges are great homes for pipe fish/ seahorses and gobies/ pistol shrimps.
Cheaper and much more natural than some of the products on the market.
Harvestable macro algae to sell/ give away or feed to your tangs.
MORE WATER VOLUME :lol:.
Jail for evil crabs.

Levi

[whatcaneyedo]

Jail for evil crabs.

Levi

More like fighting ring for evil crabs... I've put 5 in my fuge recently and the biggest one is the only one left! :twised:

[pterfloth]

Thanks everyone for your input! It sounds like adding a refugium to my system is a good idea. I've already decided to replace my sump with a bigger tank and now I'll add a separate refugium tank as well.

Given the space I have available, the best option seems to be to place the refugium right next to my sump. My plan is to set up a small pump to pump from my sump into the refugium with an overflow back to the sump.

How does that sound?

[hillegom]

You have water comming into the sump already by gravity from the overflow.
Why don't you T off somewhere with a valve and use plain old gravity to feed your refugium and then overflow to sump?
Adding another pump when gravity will work, to me, is overkill.

[chris121277]

Good thread......lots of interesting info
Just wanted to tag along here

[naesco]

Thanks everyone for your input! It sounds like adding a refugium to my system is a good idea. I've already decided to replace my sump with a bigger tank and now I'll add a separate refugium tank as well.

Given the space I have available, the best option seems to be to place the refugium right next to my sump. My plan is to set up a small pump to pump from my sump into the refugium with an overflow back to the sump.

How does that sound?
Is it possible in your plan to place the refugium higher than the display tank?