How should I introduce mud into a HOB refugium for an established system

swimmingswammi · Apr 9, 2012

I've read the instructions and they apply to new systems, adding livestock after the tank with the refugium mud has had a chance to cycle. I am not clear on what adding it after the system is running is going to do to my tank. I am running a Reef Octopus HOB skimmer that is doing a great job but they are at separate ends of the tank, divided by the center bracing. I guess I could bring the skimmer over temporarily and place it next to the refugium. I could also add a NP Biopellet Reactor but getting that to deposit to the skimmer may be too difficult.

This is on a 90 gallon show (30" tall), mixed reef (softies, LPS, SPS, and fish). The tank has been up for only a few months. Some of the rock is still cycling.

swimmingswammi · Apr 12, 2012

is this just a bad idea or is the question just stupid?

REEFKEEPER10 · Apr 12, 2012

If you add the mud to the water it will make a big mess so drain the fuge then add the mud. I would cover the mud with a piece of plastic then add some water. Let it settle and slowly remove the plastic. As far as a cycle is it dry mud like miracle mud or wet.

swimmingswammi · Apr 12, 2012

The miracle mud is mostly dry, maybe damp. Not wet like mud. Thanks for chiming in!

swimmingswammi · Apr 12, 2012

Thanks for the help y'all!

Yeah if it's miracle mud you should be ok but you want to sure it settle in the fuge before adding current to it. If you use plastic like I said it will minimize the cloudiness. You just don't want the silt on your corals. I added miracle mud to a three year old tank with no problems so you should be ok. It was a lot smaller tank. I hope this helps.