Refugium algae - are we crazy?

NanJ · Mar 11, 2020

When we designed our 300g system one of our 'must haves' was a refugium. After the system had been running for 9-10 months we added chaeto to the refugium using a Kessil A80. The chaeto did not thrive and eventually went away. So we tried again. Same thing. So we upgraded to a Kessil H380 and tried Dragon's Breath.

We were having success with Dragon's Breath but ran into a limited ick outbreak followed by a massive cyano outbreak (caused by metronidazole and Medic used for the ick? who knows...). After all of that got cleared up we tried chaeto again and it basically broke apart and scattered around the sump (collecting in pump intakes, of course).

When we gathered the chaeto up we decided, what the heck, let's put it in this filter bag and let the bag hang in the refugium. Over the course of weeks, hair algae covered the bag to the extent shown in the attached photos. Are we crazy for basically using hair algae as our refugium macro algae? We do not have visible hair algae in our DT. We keep the sides and bottom of the refugium scraped to discourage algae growth in it. Although, it seems the amount of hair algae growth on other parts of the refugium has significantly decreased since we let it go crazy on the filter bag.

Our nitrates run 10-20 with Red Sea test kit, phosphates 0.02-0.05 on Hanna Checker.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Webslinger · Mar 11, 2020

Keep it going...you basically have a turf scrubber. Algae type doesn't matter

Auquanut · Mar 11, 2020

Really, what you're doing is pretty much like an algae turf scrubber. Just in the sump. Whatever works right?

Okay. Just because this seems like a decent idea, and it just might work, doesn't mean you're not crazy. I mean you're reefers, right? ;Woot

WVNed · Mar 11, 2020

I would consider adding some iron like Brightwell Ferrion.
I haven't got it perfectly worked out yet but iron helped a great deal. Macros grow huge then just disappear in my system. I have managed to extend the cycle from a few weeks to a few months so I am still missing something.

JustAnotherNanoTank · Mar 11, 2020

Hair algae is all I grow in my fuge! Works great after it’s established well! My advice is do not keep adding other people’s plants(cheato) with their “soaked up problems” to your system. I’m curious if you had started your fuge earlier in the tanks life like 1 month in if it would have survived. It almost sounds like there is a bacteria that will kill that but allows hair algae. I’d leave it be tho! Your params sound great! Happy reefing.

NanJ · Mar 11, 2020

WVNed said:
I would consider adding some iron like Brightwell Ferrion.
I haven't got it perfectly worked out yet but iron helped a great deal. Macros grow huge then just disappear in my system. I have managed to extend the cycle from a few weeks to a few months so I am still missing something.

Please let everyone know if you get your system figured out! During the course of trying chaeto we did add Ferrion but with the ick meds, cyano, then ChemiClean treatment - no way to assess what worked and what didn't.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. I think in reefing, if it works, it is the right way!