What's in your refugium?

[Be11yDancer]

Okay, I've educated myself on a few different types of refugiums.

And I even plumped my own 30 gallon refugium for my new-to-me 150 gallon tank, but not without drilling a hole, like I had hoped.

Anyway I see there are lots of different things people call refugiums: reverse day-light refugiums, algae filter refugiums, display refugiums.

I merely want to supplement live food for my mandarin and have a place to put the larvae if I even ever get a spawn.

I'm thinking sand bed, no coral rubble, Amphipods, mini-stars, a variety of Caluerpa?

Should I put live rock?

What's working for you?

 

[WRASSER]

If you have a wet/dry, you can grow them under the bio-balls, I have tons of them down there. every now and then I retreive them to the main tank. I have a large bag of charcole down there that I left because they are there and use it

 

[Anonymous]

My refugium is one big ass ball of chaeto, there are various "critters" crawling around in it.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm planning on putting Chaetomorpha, Graciliaris, and Turtle Weed. I'll put a DSB and some rubble in it too. I don't see why you shouldn't put rubble in there. I'll use it for filtration and for fragging purposes.

 

[Anonymous]

I was considering water, but I don't know. It sounds risky. lol Just cheato at the moment.

 

[Anonymous]

From overflow inlet to return pump:
1st chamber(large): lots of LR- cant get enough surface area of good LR in your system.
2nd chamber (small) More LR but small sized stuff
3rd chamber (small) storage space for my hermits when the main tank and'fuge are free of problem algae: first sign of hair and they are marched into battle, in the mean time they are rested and fed nori 3X a week.
4th chamber (large) Fuge proper, 4" of live sand that water exits through, 4 types of caulerpa, some hitchhiker sand crabs (around 3) 3 dancing shrimps and a banded boxing shrimp that are too small for my display unit at present. I had my 4 occis in there for the last month or so as they were tiny- they now in the display...some bristle worms have been seen but unable to say the number in there...
5th chamber (small), nothing
6th chamber (large), return pump, kalkstirrer, protein skimmer pump and return float switch for ROkalk mix topoff.

Relatively new system but has worked very well for 4 months now

 

[Anonymous]

I'm planning on putting Chaetomorpha, Graciliaris, and Turtle Weed. I'll put a DSB and some rubble in it too. I don't see why you shouldn't put rubble in there. I'll use it for filtration and for fragging purposes.

Well I wouldn't put any more plants in there because one plant will become dominant unless you regularlly prune everything (which I'm too lazy to do). I tried the sea-grasses at one time but they really need quite a bit of flow that my refugium (and most) don't provide.
I didn't want sand in it because it'll become a sink for nutrients to fall into.
Rubble could work, but again, it'll become a place for stuff to get stuck, it does provide for a place to hide for some critters, but I wouldn't use it for fragging rocks simply because my refugium is sunlit and it will grow a nasty algae on it (briopsis, hair, whatever).

 

[Meloco14]

I would recommend having a deep sand bed of fine particle sand, or you can buy products made specifically for refugiums that are supposed to contain more minerals and promote healthy bacteria growth and biological filtration. Then add some live rock and macro algae. If the refugium is going to be on display, you can use larger, attractive pieces of live rock. If it will be hidden, you can just throw any extra pieces you have in there, or rubble. For macro algae, chaetomorpha is one of the best. But it isn't much to look at, just a large floating clump. So again, if it will be on display you might want to find a species of caulerpa that is more attractive to you. Just be aware that most of those species can decide to spawn and you might find them popping up inside your main display tank. Anyway, sand, algae, and some rock will provide ideal habitat for pods, while boosting your filtration. You can throw some micro stars in there if you want, but not necessary. Same goes for a couple nassarius snails to keep the sand in good condition. If it will be on display you can put some xenia in there if you have enough light. It can grow like a weed and be harvested just like macro algae. Now, if you want more of a bare bones system and just need habitat for pods all you really need is either some sand, or some live rock rubble, or floss or anything they can hang on to. But since you have it all set up you might as well use it for the benefits of additional filtration and nitrate export through macro algae.

 

[Anonymous]

Aiptasia and cyano were perrenial favorites. Now it is filled with air and the stench of bleach.