Refugium Critters?

seastar · Jun 15, 2016

Do you keep anything in your refugium to keep it tidy? Snails? Crabs? Stars?

Now, I know it's purpose is to outcompete DT algae and it's not supposed to be the thing you show off to your buddies, but I don't want a swamp in there either.

If I stir around my chaeto a bit I have all sorts of stuff flying around in there.

Diesel · Jun 15, 2016

You can have copepods in there of course, which help you to keep it clean and a direct source for a healthy snack for your fish if they make to the DT.
Basket stars are are great to as they hang on to your chaeto and they grab all they can to consume.
PPl have snails but they won't stay in there and make it to the section where your return pump houses with negative results for snails and pump

Wiz · Jun 15, 2016

Who told you refugiums are not supposed to be showing off? Of course they are. If you have the time and energy to make them nice. Mine is a 30 long display fuge side by side. And yes I keep snails And a few hermit crabs And1 mithrax crab. I did have ghost shrimp in there but they were obviously eating all the worms and bugs which was not good. They got booted. As long as the critters kept do not destroy your macro fauna such as worms and bugs you are okay.Also you don't want them to eat all your algae. Snails like Astrea's or Trocus or nerite are all fine. I would not put something like a Mexican turbo in there as he will eat all your Macros.

bobman · Jun 15, 2016

Pods are great and if you have macro in there pods are going to happen. I also have a giant hermit crab that kept knocking over my corals and a bunch of bristle worms and mini brittle stars.

seastar · Jun 16, 2016

Diesel said:
You can have copepods in there of course, which help you to keep it clean and a direct source for a healthy snack for your fish if they make to the DT.
Basket stars are are great to as they hang on to your chaeto and they grab all they can to consume.
PPl have snails but they won't stay in there and make it to the section where your return pump houses with negative results for snails and pump

Oh my! I looked up Basket Stars and I think that might be a creature from my nightmares! I was all excited to look into getting one but I think I'm going to have to go another route! Hahahahah! I have a decent population of copepods going but I was also thinking of getting a few different kinds in there. Happen to know if one type would just wipe out the other?

seastar · Jun 16, 2016

Wiz said:
Who told you refugiums are not supposed to be showing off? Of course they are. If you have the time and energy to make them nice. Mine is a 30 long display fuge side by side. And yes I keep snails And a few hermit crabs And1 mithrax crab. I did have ghost shrimp in there but they were obviously eating all the worms and bugs which was not good. They got booted. As long as the critters kept do not destroy your macro fauna such as worms and bugs you are okay.Also you don't want them to eat all your algae. Snails like Astrea's or Trocus or nerite are all fine. I would not put something like a Mexican turbo in there as he will eat all your Macros.

Now that is a refugium worth showing off!!!! Mithrax crab = Emerald crab right? I was actually looking at a Mexican Turbo as I though it would be too big to get stuck in my return pump is he escaped. out of those three snails you recommend, which one would you be the highest on? I'd like the sand clean and the plexiglass walls tidy and maybe a type that isn't as prone to trying to find their freedom.

revhtree · Jun 16, 2016

Bump!

Wiz · Jun 16, 2016

Ok. Yes its an emerald crab. To control bubble algae if it should arise. Nerites will try to escape. Trocus are my favorite for glass/rocks. Astrea are ok but more delicate. Virgin nerite seem to do well to. As far as sand, I would use cerith. Most varieties are fine. I would stay away from dwarfs as the can get in pumps or escape through drains. I also have a couple nassarius in there to help move sand. Tonga and vibex. I would be careful not to get types that will eat other snails. Such as babalon or whelk. And as stated mexicans are awesome eaters, of everything plant based. You can lose some nice macros. My mexican ate 90% of my red titan. Booted. Lol a few hermits to help clean hard to reach places. Preferably scarlets. Not to many as they will kill snails for shells.

Wiz · Jun 16, 2016

My macros are growin like crazy.. just threw a small bucket away yesterday and still have a ton. My chaeto has come back with a vengeance. I threw all but a basebal l away after getting upset about it getting tangled in everything. But that strong flow just makes it explode!

seastar · Jun 16, 2016

Wiz said:
My macros are growin like crazy.. just threw a small bucket away yesterday and still have a ton. My chaeto has come back with a vengeance. I threw all but a basebal l away after getting upset about it getting tangled in everything. But that strong flow just makes it explode!

Unreal... that looks amazing!

"Booted" hahah! I have a blue leg hermit in my sump (not the refugium section) living a life of solitude because he started being a jerk.

domination2580 · Jun 16, 2016

Wiz said:
My macros are growin like crazy.. just threw a small bucket away yesterday and still have a ton. My chaeto has come back with a vengeance. I threw all but a basebal l away after getting upset about it getting tangled in everything. But that strong flow just makes it explode!

Are those kenya trees? Are they successful at eating the excess nutrients? What about light for them?

Wiz · Jun 16, 2016

Yes that is kenya. I have a few Corals in the tank that overflowed from my display. Ones that just grow way too fast and nobody really wants anymore. LOL They were not placed in there with the intention of nutrient removal However I do hear that they are useful for that. I know there's a xenia that would not grow in my display but grows fine in my refugium. Could be nutrients are higher in the refugium. I don't know. There are also yellow polyps pink and gold paly's a carpet anemone a ricordea And some button polyps.

domination2580 said:
Are those kenya trees? Are they successful at eating the excess nutrients? What about light for them?

Lesley · Jun 16, 2016

I have an
Abalone
Coral banded shrimp
And lobster in my sump
Along with mushrooms

ryecoon · Jun 17, 2016

Lesley said:
I have an
Abalone
Coral banded shrimp
And lobster in my sump
Along with mushrooms

Is that a custom made sump? and is that just in the center? Very nice

Lesley · Jun 17, 2016

ryecoon said:
Is that a custom made sump? and is that just in the center? Very nice

Yes it's a custom sump
Here is a picture of full sump

Pola0502ds · Jun 17, 2016

Just curious, when you guys harvest from your fug do you take rodi water and rinse off whatever it might be so that you are not throwing away pods? I just started a fug a month or so ago and my cheato is growing like crazy. Under the cheato i have fiji mud.

seastar · Jun 17, 2016

Pola0502ds said:
Just curious, when you guys harvest from your fug do you take rodi water and rinse off whatever it might be so that you are not throwing away pods? I just started a fug a month or so ago and my cheato is growing like crazy. Under the cheato i have fiji mud.

I had the same question for my LFS and they said they shake out the chaeto in the DT. Some might worry that you'd just have chaeto growing in the DT but in my case my foxface and yellow tang nail any tiny pieces that happen to get away.

seastar · Jun 17, 2016

Lesley said:
Yes it's a custom sump
Here is a picture of full sump

Your Sump blows my DT out of the water! I'd like to end up there someday.

seastar · Jun 17, 2016

Lesley said:
And lobster in my sump

I love that lobster! Is it reef safe and does it happen to serve any cleanup purpose besides what would probably end up being my favorite tank/sump resident?