Why isn't everyone using a refugium?

[Cabinetman]

Spot on!
Good liverock, good flow, decent light, lots of food, sps growth and appropriate dosing are all you need. I slowly removed my skimmer, UV, mechanical, carbon, etc etc and have been completely filter free for 18 months. The coral is the filter. I recently culled 7 pounds of coral as Allelopathy seemed to become a problem

my phosphate sits between 0.05-0.08 and nitrate 0.8-1.5ppm.

I’m in the same boat as you. 560 gallon tank with multiple frag tanks plumbed in. The display probably has a 1000 pounds of rock in it. I did have a refugium for the first year until the coral got established and the rock matured. I took it off-line about four or five months ago and it was the best thing I ever did. I don’t run any filter socks and no Algae filtration at all. Growing algae is a dirty business. I know my tank sure isn’t suffering because of it. I always tell people that are setting up tanks that it is the best thing they could ever do setting up a refugium with a good strong light on it but in my opinion there comes a time when one can start working against you.

 

[MrGisonni]

I have had refuguims before they just seem too messy for me. I run a bare bottom reef lots of rock with a skimmer, filter sock, a stack of brightwell bio blocks and a small plastic container with brightwell export no3 cubes inside. Works well for me. Nitrates stay between 2 to 5 ppm

 

[Gkrockman]

There was a guy who runs small air stone under his chaeto in the fuge. Basically aerating the chaeto with good results. Kind of makes it an in sump reactor then I'm going to try it.

I've been running a air stone on my HOB refugium 24/7. Chaeto and Ulva are surviving nicely and have no algae in DT.

 

[Gkrockman]

I've been running a air stone on my HOB refugium 24/7. Chaeto and Ulva are surviving nicely and have no algae in DT.

Forgot to mention I turned off skimmer and all is well!

 

[SlugSnorter]

After adding a refugium to my system I was a reduction in nitrate from 25ppm to 1ppm in 1 week. Why even bother with other export methods?

space

 

[ClownSchool]

What algae are you growing?

I use chaeto, but I’ve considered creating a compartment for red Pom Pom. I hear that’s the best if you have limited space or high bio load.

 

[Jubei2006]

I'm new to this but. . .

Coming from a freshwater planted tank background, a refugium makes a ton of sense. Let the plants (algae) do some of the work for you (probably something to be said about stability/ecosystem diversity as well).

Assuming you have the space, the funds, and don't mind any added maintenance, I say why not. . .

Love planted tanks. Have had a freshwater planted tank for years and years. I only run a HOB filter on my son's 10 gallon because it adds water movement. Otherwise it's not needed.

 

[Nosajason]

I've used both. Much prefer to have clean sump without having to do maintenance every week on the cheato

 

[Jubei2006]

Have a refugium also. Has ulva in it. But you know what really does great in there and really helps to control nutrients? Green hair algae! Grows like a beast! No problems with nitrates or phosphates, pods love it. None in the display with hungry trochus snails and tuxedo urchins. The ulva exists, grows some. But the hair algae....I pull out handfuls every few days. Works great.

 

[CNDReef]

My question is why have a fuge and then turn around and add Po4 and No3 to bring up your nutrients? If the answer is pods , they don’t need the algae or light to grow.

 

[McPuff]

My question is why have a fuge and then turn around and add Po4 and No3 to bring up your nutrients? If the answer is pods , they don’t need the algae or light to grow.

I used to wonder the same thing but now I understand why... it's about controllability. It can be hard to keep your nutrients at a certain level without doing something external.

I have found that for my system a fuge is almost a MUST. I went the last couple of years without one and my nutrients went sky high. I've been working for the past several months to bring them back down. I decided to go with a "remote" fuge for several reasons but mostly it keeps the sump cleaner and it's easier to maintain overall. Cheato growth has been phenomenal and my nitrates have gone down considerably in the couple months I've been using the fuge. Once I get back down to reasonable levels (perhaps under 30) I'll figure out a lighting schedule that keeps things more or less stable.

Besides the fuge, I use 3 marine pure blocks (sometimes 4), a large skimmer, and an oxydator.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used to wonder the same thing but now I understand why... it's about controllability. It can be hard to keep your nutrients at a certain level without doing something external.

I have found that for my system a fuge is almost a MUST. I went the last couple of years without one and my nutrients went sky high. I've been working for the past several months to bring them back down. I decided to go with a "remote" fuge for several reasons but mostly it keeps the sump cleaner and it's easier to maintain overall. Cheato growth has been phenomenal and my nitrates have gone down considerably in the couple months I've been using the fuge. Once I get back down to reasonable levels (perhaps under 30) I'll figure out a lighting schedule that keeps things more or less stable.

Besides the fuge, I use 3 marine pure blocks (sometimes 4), a large skimmer, and an oxydator.

I would also add that most people do not add both. While there are certainly scenarios to add both, it is most common to add one or the other.

 

[MillennialReefer]

I would love a refugium, in fact I have tried several times on several different systems. It just did not work for me . I used various lights, various "flow" patterns and bought cheato from multiple sources...but the cheato wouldn't grow, shrivle and get taken over by GHA. However, GHA grows so fast for me its almost unavoidable, so decided to go with an ATS. I would love to have a large thriving fuge with various algae's and microorganisms.

 

[mucky1957]

NO..I don't have the space for one...and without one my nitrate is around 10 and my Po4 is under 0.1.

 

[Karen00]

I'm sure there are a lot of reasons why a fuge isn't the first choice for folks. For me I have an AIO so adding one would be cumbersome but more than that I don't have the room (nor do I have room for a sump, etc). Space restrictions are I only have a 5g tank. I don't even have proper room for a hang on back fuge. Having said that at this point in my tank's life a water change is enough to keep my tank in tune. For awhile I was actually struggling to keep nutrients up. What works for one person's tank isn't necessarily the solution that works for others for a variety of reasons but it's always good to have the options available and experiences of people having used them.

 

[Grsfish]

I do automatic water changes and have a descent size fuge. I have taken out my skimmer filter socks and bio pellet reactor and things are going great now.

 

[LPS Bum]

Hob refugium can be added to almost every tank

Yeah but who wants that eyesore hanging off the tank?

 

[sixty_reefer]

Yeah but who wants that eyesore hanging off the tank?

You would be surprised

 

[MaxTremors]

There are lots of roads to Rome, and lots of people along those roads saying “this is the best way to get there”. lol

Everyone know that the A1 (Autostrada del Sole) is the best road to Rome.

 

[vlangel]

Being an 'old' salt, I certainly have to agree that there are many roads to Rome! Some roads fit our marine personality and abilities better than others.

I personally love my fuge. It has a deep sandbed for denitrification and the predominant macro algae is gracilaria, which is a very pretty red algae. I also have feather and grape caulerpa in it but I keep them trimmed back heavily because they will strip the nutrients out of the water column. Finally I have codium in it which is an attractive green branching algae. My fuge is almost as nice looking as my display tank, (too bad it's in the basement where nobody sees it, LOL) and has come in handy for renegade fish and creatures.

But, I say do what works for you!