refugium help
- Thread starter nanonøkk
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smacbride
Active Member
It looks like those have a black piece of glass between the tank and the chambers, so they won't have any light on them to grow your macro algae. You will have to put it into your main display. Unless you can come up with a way to put a light on the back chamber.
SMSREEF
Valuable Member
This is fantastic. My nutrients are too low yet I want the refugium light on at night to help keep ph up. I already took my skimmer offline.
I never thought of lights on for 45 then off for 30. I’m gonna change my schedule tonight.
SMSREEF
Valuable Member
The macro algae uses up CO2 in the water which helps the pH stay up At night rather than going down.
this is from @AlgaeBarn
“ plants (including macroalgae) take up carbon dioxide from their environment in order to store energy (i.e. make sugar) as well as to build biomass. Drawing carbon dioxide from water alters the carbonic acid balance such that it raises pH. Plants onlydo this while carrying out photosynthesis. The result is that (especially in a small, closed system like an aquarium) sharp pH swings can occur between day and night cycles.
In a reef tank loaded with hermatypic corals and clams, you might have a lot of photosynthetic activity happening during the “lights on” cycle; activity in the refugium can add to this if its lights run “on” concurrently. However, if its lights are on alternately, the refugium can perform a beneficial balancing act by stabilizing diurnal (i.e. day/night) pH values!”
SMSREEF
Valuable Member
You will get differing opinions.
I chose to run mine at night when my tank lights are off to hopefully keep pH from going down at night.
There are some submersible lights on amazon that may work. I have one on my 10 gallon quarantine (but is attached to the top, not submerged) and it grows macro algae and chaeto just fine.
Ippyroy
Defeater of Dinos
It is different for every tank. I have an apex so I always know my PH. I am trying to flatten the number. I am not chasing, but I want the number to be as constant as possible. My DT is on for 12 hours a day. My PH during the day is 8.27 with lights on. When they turned off it was 3-4 hours before my fuge light turned on and my PH fell to 8.1 during this time. Having the fuge light turn on and off allows my PH to stay more constant.
I tune the amount of time my light is on by how high my NO3 is. Chaeto uses nitrates much faster than phosphates. I am trying to figure out the correct schedule to maintain NO3, PO4, and PH in a nice flat line. Stability is key.
Ippyroy
Defeater of Dinos
Test your PH it before the lights turn on, and after they turn off. BRS did a video on tuning a refugium. Mine took a couple of times to get it growing, now it grows like crazy. I use it as a means of mechanical filtration as well. I removed the filter socks from the sump and made that area my fuge. About 5 gallons out of a total 50 gallon system. It has sand, micro hermits, and a ton of snails that all eat detritus, as well as bristle worms. I have been able to maintain my NO3 at 3 and PO4 at around .05 - .07. My tank is still young so the phosphates are still binding to the sand and rocks. Hopefully that will finish soon and it will level out.
The amount of time you run your fuge light depends on your NO3 and PO4.
Ippyroy
Defeater of Dinos
Ok. If the fish and corals in the tank look happy, then don't change too much. Chasing numbers is very bad. Allow your tank to balance on it's own. Stability is the most important thing for corals.
