Is a refugium the only filter your tank needs?

[randyBRS]

Okay probably a loaded question, but for some a refugium or ATS is all they use. What's your take on a fuge or macro algae filtration?

 

[Crabs McJones]

I run a fuge with a filter sock before it, and have considered removing the filter sock and letting the fuge take over. But there is a baffle between the two so I fear all the detritus ill settle in the first chamber.

 

[Potatohead]

I think once you have a significant coral load you can start to scale back your export methods. I would be hesitant to get rid of a skimmer though because of the other benefits it provides.

 

[Drneil]

Struggled to get cheato to grow. Wondering if there is a benefit to opening up the front flap on my clarisea to increase follow and allow unfiltered water into the fuge section of my sump?

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

Struggled to get cheato to grow. Wondering if there is a benefit to opening up the front flap on my clarisea to increase follow and allow unfiltered water into the fuge section of my sump?

I struggled too, until I bought a $15 6500k pink LED grow Light (on Amazon) but the R2R trick is...the chaeto algae cannot sit on the sump glass. So I built an egg crate cage to fit my sump....like 16" x 10" x 8" wide....4 sides and bottom about 1" off sump bottom. Then I plumbed a bypass line off my return pump plumbed under the cage and chaeto, and now I can give away bags full. Chaeto must tumble or have a basket. Good luck. I now have like 6 different kinds, sea grapes, red chaeto, green chaeto, red dragon, graciella, etc. CAREFUL of caulerpa I hear it can go bad and kill your tank.

 

[S2G]

I think im about to put this to the test. Unhook my skimmer until I can replace its finicky butt. I use the eggcrate sandwich method and with just a cheap flood light im pulling a fist full every 2 wks. I think with a 150w ufo it will get the job done.

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

My tank tech said he wanted to try shutting down the skimmer 12 hours a day at night.

Tank needs nutrients. Lets my corals feed all night on pods and nutrients in the water column.

 

[Katrina71]

I am a fan of organic export. Yes, I prefer a fuge.

 

[Drneil]

I struggled too, until I bought a $15 6500k pink LED grow Light (on Amazon) but the R2R trick is...the chaeto algae cannot sit on the sump glass. So I built an egg crate cage to fit my sump....like 16" x 10" x 8" wide....4 sides and bottom about 1" off sump bottom. Then I plumbed a bypass line off my return pump plumbed under the cage and chaeto, and now I can give away bags full. Chaeto must tumble or have a basket. Good luck. I now have like 6 different kinds, sea grapes, red chaeto, green chaeto, red dragon, graciella, etc. CAREFUL of caulerpa I hear it can go bad and kill your tank.

I have a egg crate material that I can make a cage out off. I think the light is ok as it's a 50W led growlight and was producing plenty of slime algae in the sump.

I think flow is my big issue, not much water movement through the section, hence my unfiltered water question out my clarisea. I can put a small pump in to turn the water in the fuge section.

 

[Montiman]

You might as well say, "Does a tank need a filter at all?" The answer is no. The natural biological filter and water changes are enough to maintain any tank. I used to maintain small desk tanks at the LFS I worked at with just a power head, light, and weekly 70% water changes.

The thing is no one wants to do weekly 70% water changes so they add filters and equipment. Equipment only exists to make our life easier. Therefore the better questions is, "is it easier to maintain a tank with a refugium alone vs some other method."

 

[Orko]

I have a sump/tube no filter sock burning runs through a few Chambers that are empty then lots of rubble rock out of that chamber to my return pump to the tank. I use a skimmer rated for a smaller tank it gets out good gunk but leaves a bit the ocean is not pristine the mushrooms and zooanthids love it the tank has been running like this for 30 yrs.. lots of critters live in the sump and feed the tank.

 

[JAM-MAN]

Struggled to get cheato to grow. Wondering if there is a benefit to opening up the front flap on my clarisea to increase follow and allow unfiltered water into the fuge section of my sump?

I feed heavily two nano tanks (10 & 20 gal) with (mysis, baby brine shrimp, reef roids, RG complete). Have a 40 G breeder simple sump with Nyos 160, Clarisea 3000, and ~ 10 G cheto compartment with a powerhead and Kessil 360 grow light. I grow basket ball sized chaeto and harvest half every 3 weeks. I don't bypass the Clarisea. Don't know your bioload, but current and lighting seem important for chaeto growth, plus a good starter mass.

 

[bar|none]

If you can't get Macro to grow there are only three things.

1. Light, quality, duration, intensity
2. Trace Elements it needs (Check out brightwell chaeto grow) #1 reason IMO
3. Not getting any nutrients to process (Skimmers, Filter Socks etc..taking out too much before the fuge)

Notice I didn't mention the perfect spinning Chaeto ball. Not needed at all. Fuge can be left alone and will do well.

 

[Drneil]

I will give the comments a try and report back.

There was slime algae growing inside the cheato. The fill was very stagnated. So I assume from the huge GHA outbreak in the display and amount of slime in the sump nutrients weren't the issue.

My sump turnover is only x4 the main display, with half diverted to the fuge section and half to the skimmer.

I have a new huge ball of cheato, but I am now dosing vibrant that has helped remove the GHA, so that might stop growth.