Refugium old school now?

[DakotahSteel]

I’ve been out of the reefing world for a little over ten years now. Just placed an order for a Redsea 1000S G2 and something I’ve noticed is refugiums aren’t as common. When I had my setup every large tank had to have a refugium. It was considered essential and now I’m seeing they aren’t nearly as common. What’s changed in the last ten years or so for that to be different?

 

[KrisReef]

Nothing changed in the real world, but in the artificial reef tank world the opinions and sales pitches move about on a regular cycle trying to capture the available dollars that can be raked up in the marketplace.

 

[DakotahSteel]

Nothing changed in the real world, but in the artificial reef tank world the opinions and sales pitches move about on a regular cycle trying to capture the available dollars that can be raked up in the marketplace.

That honestly makes sense like anything it’s a trend. I was just wondering if there was some science behind it. My old 125 gallon had a refugium with sand a live rock with macro algae that was bigger then some display tanks lol

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Nothing changed in the real world, but in the artificial reef tank world the opinions and sales pitches move about on a regular cycle trying to capture the available dollars that can be raked up in the marketplace.

I agree. It is all about this reactor, that reactor, biopellets, chemicals and what not.

Sometimes the simplest system is the best system.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above. I prefer the natural approach of a fuge.

 

[Gtinnel]

I wonder if refugiums are being phased out by algae scrubbers. They fill a similar role.

 

[fragit]

Don’t follow trends, stick with what you know and be true to yourself and your successful experiences of the past. In other words… if it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

 

[fish farmer]

I wonder if refugiums are being phased out by algae scrubbers. They fill a similar role.

Considering the word biome is being used currently.....I think not. Time to dust off my copy of Dynamic Aquaria.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I wonder if refugiums are being phased out by algae scrubbers. They fill a similar role.

I think it all boils down to "nutrient reduction" being pushed more than "diversity"

ALgae scrubbers do a ownderfull job at reducing nutrients. Pods can sometimes even live in them. I just feel that they do not provide the needed space for all of the other micro critters that come with a fuge.

In short, an algae scrubber is less work some ofthe time for reducing nutrients, so they are starting to be used more and more. A fuge is a second ecosystem within an existing ecosystem. That is just my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions lol.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I’ve been out of the reefing world for a little over ten years now. Just placed an order for a Redsea 1000S G2 and something I’ve noticed is refugiums aren’t as common. When I had my setup every large tank had to have a refugium. It was considered essential and now I’m seeing they aren’t nearly as common. What’s changed in the last ten years or so for that to be different?

Funny as I saw the opposite. I had a mixed reef for many years without a fuge. Actually no one really had fuges back then it was only a few dedicated people and only to house things that wouldn’t make it in the display. They weren’t just an algae bin. I didn’t stay on top of the latest trends. When I bought my new house I started a new tank. I got caught up in all the YouTube’s and stuff and everything was fuge, fuge, fuge. Nothing about keeping animals, it was all nutrient export. I thought I had been doing wrong for the last twenty years. My experience is that they are great as a second display and refuge for animals. If it’s for nutrients only, it better be very large, very well lit, and exported often. The typical of the shelf stand tanks don’t have a large enough area to be effective as a built system which have fuges big as the display. I don’t understand how people can put a golfball size piece of chaeto in the back of an all in one and get amazing nutrient export, but people say they do. I got tired of starving my corals to feed my algae. Dosing nitrate and phosphate to try and keep things in balance. I dumped my fuge as it didn’t work well for me, in my tank. I’ma huge fan of true refugiums but think algae bins are hype…unless you’re doing Triton, moonshiners, the Dutch method were the fuge is the primary filtration.

 

[DakotahSteel]

I wonder if refugiums are being phased out by algae scrubbers. They fill a similar role.

That’s funny when I had a tank 10 plus years ago algae scrubbers were considered old and out dated… is this what getting old is like?

 

[Gtinnel]

I think it all boils down to "nutrient reduction" being pushed more than "diversity"

ALgae scrubbers do a ownderfull job at reducing nutrients. Pods can sometimes even live in them. I just feel that they do not provide the needed space for all of the other micro critters that come with a fuge.

In short, an algae scrubber is less work some ofthe time for reducing nutrients, so they are starting to be used more and more. A fuge is a second ecosystem within an existing ecosystem. That is just my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions lol.

For what it’s worth I agree with your opinion, which is why I was careful to say similar role.
I just wonder if people are using ATS instead of refugiums to reduce nutrients and not willing to devote the space in their setup for refugiums just for the added benefit of a safe breeding space for fauna?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

That’s funny when I had a tank 10 plus years ago algae scrubbers were considered old and out dated… is this what getting old is like?

That was back before you could buy them, when we had to diy everything. I think they’ve only been in the market for a few years! If you did anything diy in reefing you are old as dirt! Haha I’m old by the way

 

[ReefGeezer]

If anything, I think the hobby is moving back to needing a refugium. The trend seems to be using less rock in the display tank. However, there seems also to be a trend toward wanting the diversity contributed by live rock. I think a refugium maintained in the dark is a great place for the live rock, and the pods, sponges, tube worms, & the other organisms it provides that donate to the system's food web and nutrient pathways.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

For what it’s worth I agree with your opinion, which is why I was careful to say similar role.
I just wonder if people are using ATS instead of refugiums to reduce nutrients and not willing to devote the space in their setup for refugiums just for the added benefit of a safe breeding space for fauna?

This

 

[Eagle_Steve]

For what it’s worth I agree with your opinion, which is why I was careful to say similar role.
I just wonder if people are using ATS instead of refugiums to reduce nutrients and not willing to devote the space in their setup for refugiums just for the added benefit of a safe breeding space for fauna?

From what I have seen with tank in my area, everyone wants nutrient reduction and doesnt really care about the microfauna. They want to be able to feed very heavy and export really heavy.

While this a method that works and tanks thrive like this, it is not something I prefer.

Again, both methods work great and a turf scrubber may be the only way with some of these tanks to get nutrients down efficiently, so they have to rely on it. It also boils down to available space. If you look at a lot of the tank kits (red sea, cade, etc.), they do not have a large amount of room in the stand for a large sump/fuge. So they cannot utilize a fuge like I do to reduce nutrients and get the added benefit of all the other stuff that comes with a fuge. I built my sump around it being 90% fuge lol.

 

[Gtinnel]

That’s funny when I had a tank 10 plus years ago algae scrubbers were considered old and out dated… is this what getting old is like?

I started in the hobby 25 ish years ago and I never heard anything about algae turf scrubbers. I do remember hearing about refugiums before getting out of the hobby 15ish years ago, but they weren’t really common afaik.
When I got back into the hobby about 4 years ago I heard a lot about refugiums and ATS. I just assumed ATS were a newer nutrient control method, but I am very possibly completely wrong.

The other thing about being in the hobby before the internet was common was that for someone who didn’t live in a area that has a lot of hobbyists it would’ve been hard to know what was used commonly in other areas. I remember having to read books just to try and figure out what fish were okay to put in my tanks.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I started in the hobby 25 ish years ago and I never heard anything about algae turf scrubbers. I do remember hearing about refugiums before getting out of the hobby 15ish years ago, but they weren’t really common afaik.
When I got back into the hobby about 4 years ago I heard a lot about refugiums and ATS. I just assumed ATS were a newer nutrient control method, but I am very possibly completely wrong.

The other thing about being in the hobby before the internet was common was that for someone who didn’t live in a area that has a lot of hobbyists it would’ve been hard to know what was used commonly in other areas. I remember having to read books just to try and figure out what fish were okay to put in my tanks.

I actually miss the days of books and having to look things up that way lol.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

If anything, I think the hobby is moving back to needing a refugium. The trend seems to be using less rock in the display tank. However, there seems also to be a trend toward wanting the diversity contributed by live rock. I think a refugium maintained in the dark is a great place for the live rock, and the pods, sponges, tube worms, & the other organisms it provides that donate to the system's food web and nutrient pathways.

I’ve often wondered how those minimalist tanks make it. A bare bottom, 200g display, with a single Tonga branch, two corals, and one fish. I think the hobby is getting away from that now as well. If you have room, a large dark out rock sump with another full sized true refugium would be the ultimate in stability in my mind…. But my mind is, well…

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I started in the hobby 25 ish years ago and I never heard anything about algae turf scrubbers. I do remember hearing about refugiums before getting out of the hobby 15ish years ago, but they weren’t really common afaik.
When I got back into the hobby about 4 years ago I heard a lot about refugiums and ATS. I just assumed ATS were a newer nutrient control method, but I am very possibly completely wrong.

The other thing about being in the hobby before the internet was common was that for someone who didn’t live in a area that has a lot of hobbyists it would’ve been hard to know what was used commonly in other areas. I remember having to read books just to try and figure out what fish were okay to put in my tanks.

Exactly this