refugium question/deep sand bed

[jomatty]

I just purchased a used tank. It was built by a local company that I hold in high regard about 2.5 years ago. Everything in the set up seems very well done and top quality, except the refugium that is set up different than i accustomed to setting them up. The sand bed is about 2 inches deep and the only place there is live rock is in between the baffles. I have always used little or no sand in refugium and copious amounts of live rock. Should I take some of the sand out, or is this as good a way to do it? Will I potentially have some of the problems that can happen with a deep sand bed in D.P. tanks if I leave it the way it is? I don't want to have nitrates or amonia spike at some point.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[MarineDepot]

Hello Matthew,

I would consider it a DSB type of situation/environment. For maintenance purposes, I would suggest not using a deep sand bed in the tank or refugium. That said, I'm sure there are many hobbyists who would disagree and have would prefer the DSB in the refugium. Ultimately, it's up to you and what you're going to have in the tank and what your goals are for the refugium. I hope this information helps.

Chris R.

 

[Pkunk35]

At 2 inches you can just vacuum the sand bed regularly to avoid "Old tank syndrome".

If vacuuming isn't something you can or want to do I agree with removing the sand for maintenance purposes, although with sand you will have much more niches for life to occupy.

If you want some benefits of the sand without the hassle, I've heard good things about keeping a small container of refugium mud in the fuge. This is supposed to give you DSB and trace element benefits while making it easy to change out the mud every year or two. It also supposedly is very good for pod production. I haven't tried this product so please research if it interests you.

HTH!

 

[mc-cro]

I would say 2" of sand in the fuge is just a crap collector. First off, you need atleast 4-6" to create the oxygen free zones that reduce nitrates. Second, unless its a huge fuge, in comparison to the overall water volume, there just isnt enough mass to make a big difference.

I would remove the sand, keep the rock off the bottom, and siphon the sump of detritus on a regular basis.