When to add refugium to a new tank

[Reefer07]

Hello, I am starting a new mixed reef tank and are about to start the cycling process and am wondering when to add a refugium to my sump. I am going to use the Algae Barn refugium starter kit. I am wondering when to add the components of the kit to my sump. Should I add them at the beginning of cycling when I have nothing in my tank or wait until after cycling when I have some fish in the tank. Thanks !!

 

[tc3driver]

Right or wrong I added mine as soon as my cycle was done, and a had a few fish in the aquarium. It is doing a great job of controlling my nutrients. Phosphate is still a little high (.09 ppm) but steadily dropping and Nitrates are hovering between 10 and 12 ppm.

I am sure someone more knowledgeable will chime in, in my mind it is all about that stability, and making a change like that later seems to be a factor of instability (at least over a short period) that may throw off some balance.

Welcome to R2R

 

[PeterC99]

Welcome to R2R!

If you start Refugium now, the algae won’t have any nutrients to feed it. Better to wait until the tank is more established. Better chances of success.

 

[cmoore806]

Hello, I am starting a new mixed reef tank and are about to start the cycling process and am wondering when to add a refugium to my sump. I am going to use the Algae Barn refugium starter kit. I am wondering when to add the components of the kit to my sump. Should I add them at the beginning of cycling when I have nothing in my tank or wait until after cycling when I have some fish in the tank. Thanks !!

What did you end up doing and how did it turn out?