Refugium Care

[reefer49]

Do you ever have to clean refugium sand. I have about 3 inches of sand a few small pieces of rubble and a giant ball of cheato. It?s been set-up about 6 months and i feel like the top layer of sand has a lot of gunk on it. The only thing i ever do is trim the cheato. It appears healthy... lots of pod, bristle worms and snails. It doesn't feel right not to clean it.

thanks

 

[rookie07]

you could always through a nassarius snail in there

 

[reefer49]

good idea.. I have a handful in my main tank. I"ll have to add a few to the fuge... Does anyone ever syphon out the sand in the fuge or other regular cleaning?

 

[Wes]

i'd go with no sand...unless your refugium is HUGE, 3 inches of sand in a refugium is only going to collect poop.

 

[dubs]

i would think about adding the snail they can get into the return pump if u dont have filter cover and destroy the pump impeller

 

[reefer49]

Good call on the pump, I checked last night and I'm lucky it has a cover.
My tank is far from huge.. It's a 40 bdr with a 20 long sump which is half a fuge. Measured the sand and it's only 2 inches.. but I'm starting to agree it appears to have collect alot of detrius/poop.

My next question is if i remove all the sand and leave chaeto will my pod collection still thrieve.. right now I have a very nice population and want to keep it that way

 

[dsgray16]

you could add some LR rubble in place of the sand. Thats what i would do.