cryptic????

[shimin]

Anybody run a cryptic refugium??? Or have any experience with them like how big and how long they take to mature ect. I don't know why but I'd really like to give it a try but there's not a lot of info on the web any help would be appreciated or just your thoughts thanks

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I never have but would love to learn more myself.

 

[Paul_N]

I was going to set one up before I took my system down. I painted 3 sides on a 29 gallon black and was going to make black acrylic covers for the front and top so I could look in when I wanted. Best off using just rubble rock, no substrate. You can either let the sponges grow on their own or buy some different ones and add them. It should have slow flow, like 2-3 times the volume of the fuge. Also it should be fed by water after it has been through the filter sock, skimmed and any other filtration. Also you really won't get much filtration benefit out of it unless you made one the same size as your display tank. I just wanted one for biodiversity and just for something different to watch mature.

 

[shimin]

I was going to set one up before I took my system down. I painted 3 sides on a 29 gallon black and was going to make black acrylic covers for the front and top so I could look in when I wanted. Best off using just rubble rock, no substrate. You can either let the sponges grow on their own or buy some different ones and add them. It should have slow flow, like 2-3 times the volume of the fuge. Also it should be fed by water after it has been through the filter sock, skimmed and any other filtration. Also you really won't get much filtration benefit out of it unless you made one the same size as your display tank. I just wanted one for biodiversity and just for something different to watch mature.

thanks I didn't know how big it should be and that's what I was thinking size wise so if you have the room then it would help, double your water volume at the least . And there supposed to help with water clarity right? I'm not sure but I just feel like I have to have one I just know that I'm building myself up but when I move ( hopefully soon) and I set up a 220g that I will have the room then now to find a 200g+ tall lol well anybody eles have anything to say?????????

 

[Surf&turf]

I run one that is about a foot square cube. The liverock is on eggcrate and the water flows down and under the rock.
It's been up about 6 months and there are already several large colonies of sponges. The flow thru mine is pretty swift. A mag 9.5 on a 90 gallon system.
I prefilter the water thru a pad, but is not thru the skimmer till it passes thru fuge. The sponges really benefit an SPS sytem in that they shed spore's that the corals feed on.

 

[BlazinNano]

I ran one for almost 2 years on a 46 gallon fish only. Tank had no skimmer. Just a 10 gallon sump with live rock. I think the best thing to do is never touch it. Granted it will get dirty in there. You will have nasty stuff just siting in the bottom of the sump. Leave it. After two years the rocks in there where just covered in sponges. I mean softball size rocks completely covered in this black sponge, some white sponges. The tank was overstocked and over fed did a water change every two months and the nitrates stayed around 20. But it took about 6 months to a year to get to that point. They work great they just take time.

 

[Wy Renegade]

researched this a bit, but have never run one. Was going to try and set one up this summer but time got away. There is a starter pack of sponges offered for sale for this - can't remember by who, I'll have to do some looking. There are also a couple of good thread on the site on this, but I don't remember the forum either. Sorry, not lots of time right now to look.

 

[steamer51]

I plan multiple fuges in the future to hold breeding colonies of a variety of shrimp, crabs and fish to provide live plankton in the form of larvae. One of those fuges will be cryptic for the sake of diversity. If you have room for a large fuge I would suggest a rubbermaid "stock tank" used for watering livestock. They are cheaper than even a used large aquarium (we get them locally at Tractor Supply on sale - $60 - 100 gal), are already black and can be covered to keep out light and still be able to take off to see all the neat stuff inside. The heavy plastic is easy to drill and plumb if you wish but if you want the hole where it is curved use a uniseal instead of a bulkhead. I have seen 300 gallon stock tanks used and they may be available even bigger than that.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Here's a link to the thread I was thinking of, see if I can find you something on the starter pack.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/eq...are-diy-discussion/25956-cryptic-fuge-11.html

Couldn't find it on a quick look, but I think I went to the Tyree website and the starter sponge package was listed there.