Who is Using a Refugium for Nutrient Control?

[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.