curious about refugiums...

[Alex's Nano Reef]

hows it going everyone my names alex i have a 20 gallon reef aquarium. i have very minute problems with diatoms and nuisance algae. i was thinking of getting a hob refugium for the tank but do not know exactly how refugiums work in the sense of water chemistry not hardware. i would like to see if anyone thinks this is a necessary purchase and if anyone can help me understand refugiums and how they effect a tank defiantly let me know.

Alex

 

[KrisReef]

Refugiums provide a place in the system where algae can grow and not be eaten by the fish. The growth of the algae removes nitrate and phosphate from the water to feed the plant growth. Removing the excess plant growth allows for nutrient removal from the tank.

If you are not having excess nitrate and phosphate then you do not need a refugium for nutrient export. The other service provided by a refugium is that pods have a place to grow safe from predation, so this can help keep pods in the system.

 

[99Problems]

Whats your levels like? It probably wouldn't hurt. You can convert an aquaclear to try it out.

 

[Alex's Nano Reef]

Refugiums provide a place in the system where algae can grow and not be eaten by the fish. The growth of the algae removes nitrate and phosphate from the water to feed the plant growth. Removing the excess plant growth allows for nutrient removal from the tank.

If you are not having excess nitrate and phosphate then you do not need a refugium for nutrient export. The other service provided by a refugium is that pods have a place to grow safe from predation, so this can help keep pods in the system.

thank you i knew a little bit already but i guess my main question does the algae in the refugium outgrow the nuisance algae.

 

[Water Dog]

A refugium can certainly help, over a period of time, but it won’t be a fast acting magic bullet that will work overnight. What are your current parameters, how old is your tank, what kind of rock did you start with, are you using RODI water, what kind of lighting sdo you run, how long is your light cycle, what are your stocking levels and how much do you feed? In short, we may want to try to identify the underlying cause of you nuisance algae problems and determine a proper course of action from there.

 

[Edp251]

Just started my first refugium and am enjoying it as a fun little ecosystem on its own. Great advice already above. All i would add is that you may enjoy a video @bulkreef supply did on lighting required in fuges to outcompete lights on your DT.
Also, you may have to do a bit of work to avoid light spill over i to your display tank with a HOB fuge but that should be easily solvable.

Best of luck!

 

[Alex's Nano Reef]

A refugium can certainly help, over a period of time, but it won’t be a fast acting magic bullet that will work overnight. What are your current parameters, how old is your tank, what kind of rock did you start with, are you using RODI water, what kind of lighting sdo you run, how long is your light cycle, what are your stocking levels and how much do you feed? In short, we may want to try to identify the underlying cause of you nuisance algae problems and determine a proper course of action from there.

eta on that is 2 hours i will give u all the info at work still lol.

 

[Alex's Nano Reef]

A refugium can certainly help, over a period of time, but it won’t be a fast acting magic bullet that will work overnight. What are your current parameters, how old is your tank, what kind of rock did you start with, are you using RODI water, what kind of lighting sdo you run, how long is your light cycle, what are your stocking levels and how much do you feed? In short, we may want to try to identify the underlying cause of you nuisance algae problems and determine a proper course of action from there.

I will provide as much info as i can at the time since i wasnt able to test the water parameters i did notice the temprature was high about 83 84 degrees. my tank has had alot of ups and downs especially a long down period where a few coral died but one lived i have a post when the tank was at its peak i will link it at te bottom. but the tank was revived about 4 months ago the rock was dry rock originally i have alwasys used rodi water aswell as red sea coral pro salt. i am running a kessil e series tuna blue the wide angle one. my loght cycle is 12 on 12 off. i have 4 tiny frags and one colony of frogspawn which was the coral that survived. i feed the coral about 1-2 times a week just a little bit of reef roids and coral frenzy mixed and i target feed. but note i just re introduced my overkill skimmer and decided to run phosguard for 2 weeks and see how it works for me.

 

[Water Dog]

Do you have any fish in there? I would be careful with target feeding your frogspawn, especially with ReefRoids. That stuff is loaded with phosphates. Quite frankly, without knowing your numbers, I wouldn’t feed the coral at all. Let your light provide them with food.

When you have the time, get the water parameter tests done and report back. Without that data, we’re troubleshooting blind.