New Refugium - Powerhead or not?

Jmunk · Mar 19, 2021

Just got my algaebarn shipment in today and added the chaeto! It's in my fuge section pretty much completely still, and it got me thinking, who adds a little powerhead in there to keep the algae turning? Is it detrimental to have the chaeto standing still? I'm sure there's obviously a little movement in there since it's the first chamber after the return, but it's not enough to keep it moving like some setups I've seen.

Spare time · Mar 19, 2021

You can get a tiny pump with a foam guard to stop chaeto from clogging it. Mine ended up fine without it but I go in and turn it over too.

Pistondog · Mar 19, 2021

No need to rotate chaeto, so no need for powerhead.

jmichaelh7 · Mar 25, 2021

Pistondog said:
No need to rotate chaeto, so no need for powerhead.

What if it starts turning white on one side

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 25, 2021

Flow is good. Water flowing over the algae is good imo. I keep a pump running in my big sump just to keep water moving and not going stale at the surface.
Smaller would be better imo for this need.
D

Brady4000 · Mar 25, 2021

My cheato grows like crazy in my 60g (10g sump) and in my Biocube. Both do not rotate, only the return pump keeps flow. Only time I had issues with white spots, was because I was blasting it with light. Once I got that under control, everything started to run smoothly.

If your worried about proper lighting on the bottom, just keep it trimmed.

Hope this helps.

jmichaelh7 · Mar 25, 2021

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
Flow is good. Water flowing over the algae is good imo. I keep a pump running in my big sump just to keep water moving and not going stale at the surface.
Smaller would be better imo for this need.
D

What kind of pump ?

jmichaelh7 · Mar 25, 2021

Brady4000 said:
My cheato grows like crazy in my 60g (10g sump) and in my Biocube. Both do not rotate, only the return pump keeps flow. Only time I had issues with white spots, was because I was blasting it with light. Once I got that under control, everything started to run smoothly.

If your worried about proper lighting on the bottom, just keep it trimmed.

Hope this helps.

Any ideas on preventing algae growth on other parts of sump ?

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 25, 2021

In my sump or for you?
Lol
D

jmichaelh7 · Mar 25, 2021

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
In my sump or for you?
Lol
D

Yours

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 25, 2021

Just a regular old dc pump. I think its a speedwave. Does like 3443gph but i have it on the 1st setting.
It rotates the water from my filter sock area to my fuge/skimmer chamber.
Sometimes i crank it up just to stir the sump.
D

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 25, 2021

The pump has fins on it and the rubber feet bottom piece i just turned and pushed on so the pump now pushes water horizontaly and not vertical. Lol
D

Brady4000 · Mar 25, 2021

jmichaelh7 said:
Any ideas on preventing algae growth on other parts of sump ?

No, I do have algae in both my sump and back of the Biocube. I don’t really worry about it as long as the unsightly algae stays in the sump and in the back of the cube. Never really put much thought into it. Just have to clean it out now and then. I do have snails and pods in the sump, they don’t seem to help much lol.

edit: I also saw my largest growth once I started using. Cheato-gro.

Edit again: thought you were talking about nuisance algae that grows because of the light. If not, the post below is exactly what I did, minus the zip ties.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 25, 2021

You can make an enclosure out of eggcrate and zipties to contain your algae in a certin area id thats what ur needing. Id keep it a 5 sided box with the top open to light.
D

jmichaelh7 · Mar 25, 2021

monkeyCmonkeyDo said:
You can make an enclosure out of eggcrate and zipties to contain your algae in a certin area id thats what ur needing. Id keep it a 5 sided box with the top open to light.
D

That’s what I do have. A lot of egg crate. I might try this if I can’t get any info on the bucket method. I believe the bucket method you need to have a pump push water inside the bucket?

I see you have the bulk reef supply thermometer in your sump area. Are you keeping a thermometer in your sump too?

Brady4000 · Mar 25, 2021

jmichaelh7 said:
That’s what I do have. A lot of egg crate. I might try this if I can’t get any info on the bucket method. I believe the bucket method you need to have a pump push water inside the bucket?

I see you have the bulk reef supply thermometer in your sump area. Are you keeping a thermometer in your sump too?

I am running.

Inkbird ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller 2-Stage Outlet Thermostat Heating and Cooling Mode Carboy Homebrew Fermenter Greenhouse Terrarium 110V 10A 1100W

-500w heater
-chemi pure blue
-cheato and refug light
-filter sock
-pump
-UV light
-ATO

in my sump