HOB fuge advice

[Clarinuto]

I have a small hob aquafuge hanging on my 45g tank. I have had it set up for a few months and am noticing a pattern emerge. It is great at fostering pod growth and sponges and it begins with chaeto doing nicely, but quickly the chaeto stops growing and instead I have hair algae, green algae, and red algae growing in there at a much faster rate. I have broken it down and set it up again twice... which is devastating in terms of taking apart the pod habitat and removing sponges, but I worry about the spread of bad algae growth in my display tank. I think the issue is that the chaeto isn’t tumbling. There isn’t enough flow for it to tumble in there. I have a Hydor koralia nano at 250 gph that I am considering trying to add but I’m worried that is too much for a 2.5 gallon sump. Any advice for how to increase flow in such a small area? Or if you think the issue is something else, I’m open to other issues! Thanks !!

 

[1WildBill]

More than likely it’s the age of the tank. It’s still young.

 

[Clarinuto]

Should I wait to set up the fuge again until the tank is ___ time old then? Hoping you will fill in the blank as I’m not sure.

 

[Jim Fox]

I had one of the hang on the back fuges. Like you I couldn't get the chaeto to grow... it just died all the time but the hair algae grew great lol. So, I grew hair algae. To me it was accomplishing the same purpose that the chaeto was supposed to be doing. I just cleaned it up once in awhile so it could regrow. As long as you keep the algae in check you shouldn't have any issues. I did have a couple of tangs in the tank so they and the clean up crew kept any algae growing in the tank in check.

 

[Clarinuto]

I had one of the hang on the back fuges. Like you I couldn't get the chaeto to grow... it just died all the time but the hair algae grew great lol. So, I grew hair algae. To me it was accomplishing the same purpose that the chaeto was supposed to be doing. I just cleaned it up once in awhile so it could regrow. As long as you keep the algae in check you shouldn't have any issues. I did have a couple of tangs in the tank so they and the clean up crew kept any algae growing in the tank in check.

So happy to hear it is not just me!! Out of curiousity, did you add any substrate or other items to the fuge besides the chaeto?

 

[Jim Fox]

I had some sand, maybe 3" deep, and some rubble rock. I also had a really small power head for additional water movement. I stopped with macro algae and just let the hair algae grow. It was a pod haven for sure.

 

[saintsreturn]

I broke down my first and only refugium for the exact same reason. I am in the process of adding my new one. It doenst matter, algae does what algae does. Keep in mind, most people post the best of their tanks and not the daily stuff they see. I have yet to see an established fuge that looks good. Well besides the one i saw yesterday where he built an algae tank LOL. But seriously, if it grows hair algae, let it grow there versus your tank.

 

[Clarinuto]

I had some sand, maybe 3" deep, and some rubble rock. I also had a really small power head for additional water movement. I stopped with macro algae and just let the hair algae grow. It was a pod haven for sure.

Awesome. What powerhead did you add? Thinking I will do the same.

 

[Clarinuto]

I broke down my first and only refugium for the exact same reason. I am in the process of adding my new one. It doenst matter, algae does what algae does. Keep in mind, most people post the best of their tanks and not the daily stuff they see. I have yet to see an established fuge that looks good. Well besides the one i saw yesterday where he built an algae tank LOL. But seriously, if it grows hair algae, let it grow there versus your tank.

Great point. Much rather it be there than in the display.

 

[Jim Fox]

It wasn't a big fuge so I used this one which you can still get at BRS.

Koralia Nano Powerhead (240 GPH)
$32.99

 

[Clarinuto]

It wasn't a big fuge so I used this one which you can still get at BRS.

Koralia Nano Powerhead (240 GPH)
$32.99

Rock on. That is coincidentally the one I have that I was considering adding but couldn’t decide if it was still too big.

 

[Jim Fox]

Actually they worked out real good. They are not overwhelmingly powerful but in a small fuge they are great.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I found the calurpa does well when cheato doesn't. I kept killing my cheato and after switching to grap calurpa I haven't looked back. Grows like a champ.

 

[Clarinuto]

I found the calurpa does well when cheato doesn't. I kept killing my cheato and after switching to grap calurpa I haven't looked back. Grows like a champ.

I heard that Caulerpa can grow like a weed. Might be just what I need!

 

[ReeferReefer]

I heard that Caulerpa can grow like a weed. Might be just what I need!

People have concerns about it going sexual and releasing a bunch of nutrients into the tank but I've never had the issue in 3 years of using it. Just make sure you keep it trimmed back so it has room to grow.

I started with cheato and calurpa in the fuge and the calurpa just overtook it. My fuge is narrow so the cheato couldn't tumble either.