Replace Filter with Refugium?

[jmrugo]

Hi everyone. New reefkeeper here. Actually, I hope to be a new reefkeeper when I finally get my tank stabilized!

Question: in order to control brown algae and stabilize the environment I have been considering a hang-on type refugium. Would it be advisable to replace my Emperor 400 filter (bio wheels removed) with a hang on refugium? Also using Aqua C remora skimmer. 75 gal tank. 2 months old. Thank you in advance.

 

[ChrisRD]

Hi Jason, and :welcome:

If you can provide some more detail we can give you better answers. What does the brown algae look like? Do you have live rock and/or live sand in the system? Do you have any herbivores? What sort of water are you using for evaporation top-off and mixing-up water changes (ie. RO, RO/DI, distilled, etc.)? What do you feed? Any fish in the system?

IMO a refugium can be helpful in creating some extra food for the system (pod cultivation) and can provide some nutrient export (if it's lighted and you're growing/harvesting algae in it), but it certainly isn't necessary for a nuisance-algae free tank.

Also, keep in mind that for the first 6 months or so your system will likely experienced several different algae blooms that will subside with or without the refugium, provided you've got good husbandry habits and you're balancing nutrient imports/exports. The brown algae may just be some diatom growth (common at this stage of a new tank) that will subside in time.

If you do setup a refugium and want to grow macros, etc. in it for nutrient export, stay away from Caulerpa sp. as they are known to be toxic and are generally less stable than more benign species like Chaetamorpha and Graciliaria.

HTH

 

[ricky1414]

If you can, definately setup a refugium. Most benefits were mentioned by ChrisRD, but it most likely will not reduce/eliminate your diatom bloom.

 

[wade1]

FYI:

Those cycles of algae are perfectly normal and expected in a new tank... it usually passes through brown, red, then green stages. It is just striking an equilibrium.

Keep up with doing weekly/biweekly water changes (20-30%) with RO/DI water and you will see the algae overgrowth vanish.

 

[jmrugo]

Thank you all for the replies.

My tank is 75 gal. About 70 lbs well cured and active live rock. 2 inch deep base with layer of live sand on top. Aqua C Remora skimmer. Has been producing copious amounts of greenish water and I am now experimenting with cup level to get it thicker and browner. Emperor 400 minus bio wheels for some filtration and aeration. Clean pads weekly. 2 MAxi Jet 900 power heads, and 3 Power Sweep heads set on a day-only timer. A Current Orbit light array with 2 actinic and 2 day-style compact flour. with moon light. Water source for changes is currently tap water (RO/DI system ordered and on the way). Using Coralife sea mix but changing to Crystal Sea after saw review in Reef Mag that not all salt mixes were equal.

Population is 3 turbo snails (left out of 9), lawnmower bliney, sailfin tang, fox face, 1 clown (other died), 6 small green chromis, a cleaner shrimp, a cardinal, a crab (dont know its ID), and 2 sand sifting stars. I read about the stars on this site only after buying them. I know now they are voracious and supposed to sterilize the sand bed eventually? Quite frankly, right now a sterile sand bed is the least of my worries. Kids love them. Must I get rid of them? Feeding combination of flake and freeze dried brine shrimp for now.

Brown algae is hair like when exposed to water flow, otherwise compact to the sand. Spreads over wide areas. Water motion seems to break it up over a few days somewhat. After reading more on the site I can see now that this is expected and not to be worried about. I can see also from the posts here that I can expect other colors! My guess also is that RO/DI water is a MUST and that is what I am focused on now. Corals and other inverts will have to wait for months I would guess from what I read on these boards?

Any advice or critiques would be welcome. This is a remarkably hard hobby I am finding, but the rewards in terms of a comprehensive understanding of the complex, multi dimensional nature of an ecosystem as well as the interesting creatures to look at makes it well worth it. Half hearted effort wont cut it though, thats obvious.