Refugium consensus

Electrotech · Sep 8, 2014

Ok so getting ready to build my refugium. It's a 50 gallon acrylic 36x18x19 tank fed off the return from the sump then gravity drained back into the sump.

Question is bare bottom, shallow sand bed, or deep sand bed.

I will have a few different types of macro algae in it, chaeto, calerpa, sea lettuce, and any others I can find local. I think different types looks better than just chaeto, this will be visible in my fish room. Also rubble rock in the fuge or a couple larger pieces for asthetics and homes for critters or no rock for easy cleaning?

In my set-up there shouldn't really be a need to clean it unless I put critters in there as there will be no ditreus able to reach it from where it's getting fed. I may put a small fish or 2 in there in the future though.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 8, 2014

I have left over live rock in mine. Under the rock is bare, but the rock is 2-3 feet deep, so it is probably detritus mud on the bottom. Macroalgae grows on top.

I had deep sand for a few years in my refugia, but I wasn't convinced it did anything good or bad and tossed it when I replaced those refugia.

Thin sand would likely only be useful to harbor more nitrifying bacteria, maybe a little denitrification, and a home for certain creatures, but I'm not certain how much that might be edit the main tank.

60squared · Sep 9, 2014

Just something to catch detritus and fowl when the power goes out in my opinion. I like rubble i can move around and suck detritus from under.

prime8reef · Sep 9, 2014

I'm building my refugium with miracle mud over a livesand layer and capped with aragonite gravel. Should be about 6" deep total. Going to make it a display fuge with all sorts of macro algae. Mainly it's for nitrate reduction and trace elements replenishment for an SPS dominant tank

kope1078 · Sep 9, 2014

+1 on the live rock rubble. Easier maintenance.

Reefing Madness · Sep 9, 2014

I don't believe that running a DSB in a Fuge is worth it, I don't think most peoples fuges are big enough for them to actually work properly. LR Rubble in there also tends to catch and trap detritus and can become and issue in the long run if not watched.

nphsmith · Sep 10, 2014

Reefing Madness said:
I don't believe that running a DSB in a Fuge is worth it, I don't think most peoples fuges are big enough for them to actually work properly. LR Rubble in there also tends to catch and trap detritus and can become and issue in the long run if not watched.

Op's fuge is going to be 3-foot long - that's not nothing in terms of a DSB.

jgraz · Sep 10, 2014

I have a 65G tank as a refugium w/ DSB. 36x18x24. So far so good. It is fed off my manifold and drains back to the sump. I currently have about 4-5' of sugar grain with a bit of live rock on top. I have a few different types of algae at the moment. I my set up i get very little detritus build up in the fuge since its fed off the manifold. The sand bed seems to be coming along nicely as well as im seeing some worm trails along the glass. Algae growth is also coming along but my current light is a little weak for the size of the tank. In its current state its been running since late February but I plan on making some changes very soon. My plans are to make it more of a display fuge. Ill be adding a bit more rock for macro attachment but will keep the DSB as is. Also I'll be adding a much better light to suit the macro better. My number one concern for the tank is nutrient reduction, but I'd like to make it something interesting to look at as well.

tyler1503 · Apr 8, 2015

My fuge only has about three pounds of live rock in it. Not even macro yet. Once I get a light and a new pump I can start stocking it with macro.
It's fed off the return pump and gravity feeds back to the return chamber of the sump.
Nothing special, but I have high hopes for it!
I decided bare bottom just so I could clean it out easily

SloppyJ · Apr 8, 2015

I just threw in about 20lbs of rock. Bare bottom in my acrylic sump.

addicted2reefing · Apr 8, 2015

I put some mudd in some Walmart trays and 10 lbs of live rock and algae plants. It's doing a great job I do use a dump btw.

LILBUDDHA · Apr 10, 2015

Look through this build thread . He has started a nice build and has an external fuge .

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/me...eilis-triton-powered-cadlights-100g-reef.html

Sangheili · Apr 10, 2015

LILBUDDHA said:
Look through this build thread . He has started a nice build and has an external fuge .

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/me...eilis-triton-powered-cadlights-100g-reef.html

haha thanks for the mention

arty:

I would say a little sand/liverock if you want to keep anything other then cheato. If you want just cheato - keep it simple and bare.

Avoid DSB - IMO they will only lead to disaster.

Wiz · Apr 10, 2015

I think a dsb is the way to go. The sand provides a home for a vast array of helpful creatures. A great enviorment for macros. Also provides an anaerobic area that would be very helpful in nitrate reduction. I personally I love my deep send bed which is only 12 by 12 and 4 half inches deep. But the amount of life contained in that small area is absolutely ridiculous. Just on the front glass I can see hundreds of creatures, dozens of different types. the amount of movement is crazy. I would suggest that you read this article by ron shimek. Is very informative and very helpful is considering and dsb. Ron Shimek's Website...Deep Sand Beds

Also see these vids. This is my tiny fuge and dsb. The closer u look the more you will see. Amazing!
http://youtu.be/OaI_SsCTxMU
https://youtu.be/ylqtHni6Srw