refugium help

[reefnewb1982]

Hello reef members i need help setting up a fuge i have been reading up on it and some people say to use refugium mud i was wondering if i can use aeagonite or crushed coral with live rock to help with pods and po4 and no3 no2 any suggestions ?

 

[Reefing Madness]

You can use a substrate, but most would just throw in live rock and macro algae for pods

 

[reefnewb1982]

Hey madness .so just rock and macro? No substrate

 

[vic67]

No substrate in mine. Small pieces of LR, chaeto and a power head.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea, no need for substrate.

 

[reefnewb1982]

here is my sump i built

Fuge far right return and uv sterilizer middle skimmer and mr1 reactor with gfo on left side

 

[JMSKI333]

I found that substrate in the fuge just holds detritus like crazy. I wouldn't put it in there unless you have a bare bottom tank IMO. Rocks and algea does the trick.

 

[reefnewb1982]

Lol anyone care to donate some macro with pods to help kickstart my fuge

 

[reefnewb1982]

Please

 

[60squared]

I just keep rubble red dragon breath and cheato and I have tons if pods sand seems like it would be annoying down there plus if you stirred it up it can make its way to your return pump

 

[reefnewb1982]

Cool i ordered some cheato i need to get some pods to kickstart my pod population

 

[reefnewb1982]

What can i grow for my tangs?

 

[60squared]

Tangs go nuts for the dragon breath. You don't nred to add pods pods will come trust me

 

[ReefFreak@]

imo the best bet to keep phosphate and nitrates down would be a big skimmer and good husbandry to keep it simple. But for refugiums are easiest with just some live rock and macros. no mud no substrate just bare bottom.

 

[60squared]

I can bet you anything the chaeto you ordered will have pods in it

 

[reefnewb1982]

Ya i have a mr1 with aquamaxx gfo pro so no problem with p04 so far ..hook it up with some dragons breath 60squared

 

[Tflow256]

Not to hijack the thread but what if the dt is a bb, would having sand in the fuge be beneficial?

 

[60squared]

My system has zero sand

 

[ReefFreak@]

Not to hijack the thread but what if the dt is a bb, would having sand in the fuge be beneficial?

If going bb i would just stick i giant skimmer in the sump thats what i did and it works wonders. It wouldn't be a bad thing though but kinda counter productive imo

 

[60squared]

I've had such good luck without sand I'd never go back to using it