starting a refugium
- Thread starter flobup
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beaslbob
2500 Club Member
not really.
have you measured nitrates?
If there is not enough nutrients macros will kinda die off to some point where the nutrients can support them. could be lighting also.
but generally with nutrients and light the macros thrive.
occasionally the shock of a new environment can result in "going sexual" for sexual reproduction vrs asexual or "cuttings" type reproduction. Especially if there is a green tint released into the water. Usually that is temporary and the macros recover.
my .02
Bossman
Well-Known Member
How big is your fuge? I just set up a fuge in the rear sump of my 20 gal Fusion. A very small section in one of the compartments in the back. I'm not that impressed with the amount of light the IM 2 and 1 is putting out. I've read that one member is using 3 of those lights in his rear fuge. Time will tell.
Hermie
Valuable Member
Please don't take this as intentionally disagreeable; chaeto can fall apart for any number of reasons but it really depends on what you mean by "Fall apart."
There's nothing holding chaeto strands together outside of their growth patterns, so you could have a bunch of individual strands in you refugium that haven't had time to "grow into a ball" and they are still healthy. It depends on where the chaeto came from, like did the source cut off a chunk or did they combine small chunks into one "ball" that did not have time to grow into a mass? Basically, if the chaeto is maintaining it's color (light or dark green) and producing bubbles under light then it's alive and you don't have to order more *yet.
Smarkow
Valuable Member
I'll toss out there that some interesting things can be done in a fuge, even a small one. Lighting for the fuge will be a big consideration - red spectrum for power algae growth or a full spectrum. In terms of small fuges, consider some bioballs or rubble on the bottom for cryptic area (grow some sponges for that angel to supplement his diet) and cheato or caulerpa above. Xenia fuges are cool and can export some nutrients for $$. If footprint is scarce and bioload will be high, consider an algae reactor or turf scrubber. (someone posting on this thread might be selling a few gently used ones haha)
PapaDragon
Valuable Member
How soon after you put it in did it fall apart? I just cycled my tank in January and started my fuge. I seeded my fuge with copepods and amphipods while my fish were in QT.
