Sand in refugium?

[argoreef]

Starting a new tank is it better to put some sand in refugium or put some live rock or Marine pure balls/ brick ?

never had a refugium before kinda new to saltwater hoby thanks for any info you put you can share.

 

[Oscaror]

Starting a new tank is it better to put some sand in refugium or put some live rock or Marine pure balls/ brick ?

never had a refugium before kinda new to saltwater hoby thanks for any info you put you can share.

Welcome to R2R! Marinepure is better simply because more surface area for bacteria to grow on, but you can add sand too if you want.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Starting a new tank is it better to put some sand in refugium or put some live rock or Marine pure balls/ brick ?

never had a refugium before kinda new to saltwater hoby thanks for any info you put you can share.

Yeh, sand gives the worms & copepods somewhere to hang out & shoot the breeze

and welcome

 

[flooddc]

Depending on what you want to grow in the refugium. Certain macro or marine plants can be partial bury in the sand. If you don't planned on have those, then no need for sand. Likewise, LR and media is personal preferences in the refugium. I personal like to keep some LR in the sump as my filtration and for other live organism such as pods and worms.

 

[theMeat]

Thought the jury was still out on whether marinepure leaches aluminum?

Mud covered with a lil sand will give more bank than sand alone, or rock, help any macro grow, release helpful trace elements, and give pods and whatever a place to chill

 

[lapin]

My fuge has rock rubble covered by reborn calcium media. A-Pods love the big nooks and crannies. Red macro is held down sewed to a rock. The ulva floats on top. I pull out a hand full each week. Its only 2 months old. soon I will add some filter feeders.

 

[Dsnakes]

I would go for siporax before Marine pure. I would also skip the sand as it doesn’t really serve a purpose there.

I keep siporax and liverock rubble in mine. I suppose it probably catches as much detritus as sand though

 

[Gareth elliott]

I have rock rubble in mine. Added because of my purchase of bag o bugs. Went rock because easier to clean than sand if i really need too.

 

[Fritzhamer]

I’m all about bio-diversity in my tank. I keep sand and rubble. As was mentioned it provides a habitat for all kinds of critters.

 

[argoreef]

Depending on what you want to grow in the refugium. Certain macro or marine plants can be partial bury in the sand. If you don't planned on have those, then no need for sand. Likewise, LR and media is personal preferences in the refugium. I personal like to keep some LR in the sump as my filtration and for other live organism such as pods and worms.

Was planning on growing chaeto keep going back in forth on sand I have a bashsea 36 in bio- fuge lot of room so live rock rubble will go in some where for sure just wasn't sure if sand would really be beneficial or end up a pain in the butt

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Starting a new tank is it better to put some sand in refugium or put some live rock or Marine pure balls/ brick ?

never had a refugium before kinda new to saltwater hoby thanks for any info you put you can share.

Should probably point out that a sump & a refugium are two different thing.
If you just want marine pure & nitrification thats more a sump. You'll probably have a skimmer in there too.
A refugium is a dedicated area for such things as algae , little inverts, sponges (cryptic) filter feeders, worms, etc

 

[argoreef]

Should probably point out that a sump & a refugium are two different thing.
If you just want marine pure & nitrification thats more a sump. You'll probably have a skimmer in there too.
A refugium is a dedicated area for such things as algae , little inverts, sponges (cryptic) filter feeders, worms, etc

This is the sump I got has a center refugium section 37/14/16 for a 75 gallon tank thought it should be ok should have posted pick in beginning of post thanks for help will take any advice much appreciated

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I like rock just cuz it’s rock.

Adding a couple inches of sand will do the same thing as adding rock or other media. Adds places for bacteria. Also adds places for bugs.

 

[DesertReefBoy]

I prefer bare bottom refugiums. In my experience running triton bare bottom allows for faster flow and less detritus build up.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I prefer bare bottom refugiums. In my experience running triton bare bottom allows for faster flow and less detritus build up.

Part of the triton method is to run only one “gut” , the DT. In traditional Refugium set ups as well as remote dsb the the “Gut” is the Fuge sand and rock. Thus the higher flow rates of the triton method. It helps keep the detritus in the wc & DT as food rather than letting the fuge digest it.

 

[DesertReefBoy]

Part of the triton method is to run only one “gut” , the DT. In traditional Refugium set ups as well as remote dsb the the “Gut” is the Fuge sand and rock. Thus the higher flow rates of the triton method. It helps keep the detritus in the wc & DT as food rather than letting the fuge digest it.

I don’t believe so. It was my understanding the fuge is the first section in the sump to catch detritus to be eaten by the inhabitants in the algae. This cleans the water and feeds the tank. Maybe I am misunderstanding your statement above. I just don’t see why anyone would want to allow detritus build up in a sump and/or fuge. Wouldn’t that cause more issues over time then good?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I don’t believe so. It was my understanding the fuge is the first section in the sump to catch detritus to be eaten by the inhabitants in the algae. This cleans the water and feeds the tank. Maybe I am misunderstanding your statement above. I just don’t see why anyone would want to allow detritus build up in a sump and/or fuge. Wouldn’t that cause more issues over time then good?

No, that’s correct.

You just balance it differently. By feeding carbon dosing plants etc.
Even if the animal eats the poop and funk the poop still goes back in the tank as no3 and Po4.
The old school theory is to is to allow the fuge to reduce the nutrients (bacteria and macros) before it sends it back up to the tank. So live rock sand etc large bio filter in the sump.
The new school is to keep only one system or gut as I called it.
And naturally, both methods work well.

 

[DesertReefBoy]

No, that’s correct.

You just balance it differently. By feeding carbon dosing plants etc.
Even if the animal eats the poop and funk the poop still goes back in the tank as no3 and Po4.
The old school theory is to is to allow the fuge to reduce the nutrients (bacteria and macros) before it sends it back up to the tank. So live rock sand etc large bio filter in the sump.
The new school is to keep only one system or gut as I called it.
And naturally, both methods work well.

That makes sense!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That makes sense!

Glad I could help.

 

[Hitman]

I have live rock rubble in mine with chaeto.