To fuge or not to fuge?

Madmak · #1 03-06-2013, 04:46 AM

I've recently converted my 30 gallon refugium to a frag tank for the same reasons that Kien mentioned, biopellets killed it. Without biopellets it grew Chaeto well and helped with pH and nutrient levels. I did leave the sand bed and rubble there for the critters.

I still think a refugium is a good idea for a tank that doesn't incorporate a carbon dosing program. I would consider it essential to a tank with a small amount of live rock or one using dry rock, for at least the first several months.

daplatapus · #2 03-06-2013, 01:12 PM

When I upgraded my sump I took out my fuge because I was constantly having my DSB go rock hard and I was starting to worry about it going bad and causing a crash. Around the same time I started reading about Algae Turf Scrubbers and decided it would fit pretty good in that section. So now in mine I have a pump in that section with the ATS frame and 2 CFL brood hoods and it grows algae great!
What about putting an ATS in that section?

mseepman · #3 03-06-2013, 02:04 PM

Not a bad idea. I will have to re-look at the threads about those. Thanks for the suggestion.

lastlight · #4 03-06-2013, 02:35 PM

Just click your heels and say SantaMonica 3 times and he will come to refresh your memory =)

mseepman · #5 03-06-2013, 02:39 PM

Haha...I was just thinking that

Pan · #6 03-06-2013, 04:29 PM

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/eb/index.php

Duker · #7 03-06-2013, 06:02 PM

Well that was an interesting read, although I am still a fan of refugium's, even if it is for the "wrong" reasons. I do enjoy the chaeto, and dragon tounge macros, agree with caulerpa being a pain in the arse with the unvassivness and sexual reproduction via "melting". Something interesting, I had to shut off my fuge in December due to a teeny weeny leak. I thought ny phosphates would go through the roof, so of course I have been watching closely and maintaining my weekly maintenance of 20-40 gallon H2O changes, and surprisingly my phosphates are even lower without the fuge (although i did have a little caulerpa in the fuge) which definetly went sexual and melted a few times before I got in there and trimmed it back....but i am still planning to re-hook the fuge up. I just gotta untie the piano from by butt. So fuge....yes please, so many cool things going on in there. Maybe this time a fuge/frag tank split....hmmmm we will see.