Refugium Questions

[tnyga]

I currently have a 5 gallon refugium feeding into my 10 gallon sump. I currently have about 4-5 inches of LS, Ocean Copepods, a live rock and a decent handful of Cheato (sp).

What else should I maybe have in it...Livestock?? CUC? other algae? I currently run a coralife light (2, 6.7k PC bulbs) from 10pm to 6am while MH's are off.

Am I doing anything wrong? Should I add stuff? change stuff? etc...

Thanks in advance...

 

[jhutto]

I would add some more live rock and leave the lights on a timer for the evening. Cheato will grow well and help with chemical balance.

Joe

 

[tnyga]

Gotcha on the LR...but its all nive LR in show tank lol...Neeed to get some ugly stuff

 

[tadams3]

just find the broken up pieces of rubble that you can get cheap sometimes lfs have deals on the junk small pieces

 

[tnyga]

LFS?? Whats that?? Where?? lol The closed the only "local" one I had lol

 

[dakota9]

Fill that biotch with Macros!

 

[tadams3]

tnyga;99236 wrote: LFS?? Whats that?? Where?? lol The closed the only "local" one I had lol

yeah yeah i know:doh: with us being out here in the sticks closest one is Athens that i know of maybe we need to look into opening one up around Conyers

 

[dakota9]

Isn't "About Pet's" still located in conyers? I remember when she openned up 20 yrs ago, was still there last year. She can order livestock if you want it. She gets an availability list that she can share with you and you order from that.....

 

[dannybradley]

Any excuse to add a nice mantis shrimp to a tank I would take! Sooo.. Add a nice mantis! If you don't have any crabs, shrimp, fish, or snails in there.

 

[george]

It doesn't have to be LR. It could just as easily be pieces of ceramic or plastic mesh of some sort. What you want is material that will provide a sheltered area that pods and other beneficial micro organisms will grow to provide natural food. Cheato is great for this because it also provides nutrients for those organisms and does some nutrient uptake, although a low amount.

If filtration is your goal, you need a HUGE refugium (near equal or larger than your display), a moderate one with a large deep sand bed, or an algae scrubber to really provide a big enough nutrient export relative to what can take root in your display or to even add much over what the LR in your display is doing. Even cheato or caulerpa won't compete with hair algae aggressively enough to beat it out unless it's part of a relatively very large refugium.

Now if this is part of a 10g display tank, then the refugium is a "competitive" size, but if it's attached to a more sizable tank, you're really just going to be providing a haven for pods and other micro organisms that will feed your tank naturally. That's a GOOD thing. Just not a filter.

 

[tsciarini]

looking at the second picture... I would say the first thing you should add is more water

 

[tnyga]

Dakota9;99295 wrote: Isn't "About Pet's" still located in conyers? I remember when she openned up 20 yrs ago, was still there last year. She can order livestock if you want it. She gets an availability list that she can share with you and you order from that.....

Ive ordered a couple things from her...one was that big sun i have...She orderes from sunpets though...not my favorite.

Shes seems kinda nice but is less knowledgable than I as far as salt water. Her "saltwater guru" who works there scares me a little...was going to buy a RBTA in their tank but couldnt because instead of dosing with good stuff he picked up and dosed with copper...scary thought.

Saltwater selection is minimal at best..

 

[dakota9]

Half her tanks used to be saltwater many years ago. Its a shame. She'd half price a fish if you got there the day of delivery before she removed it from the shipping bag. I worked (part time) at Conyers pets on old main street back in the day. The store was so old all their tanks were on a seperate system with powerheads. I guess they are now defunct aswell......

 

[tnyga]

George;99348 wrote: It doesn't have to be LR. It could just as easily be pieces of ceramic or plastic mesh of some sort. What you want is material that will provide a sheltered area that pods and other beneficial micro organisms will grow to provide natural food. Cheato is great for this because it also provides nutrients for those organisms and does some nutrient uptake, although a low amount.

If filtration is your goal, you need a HUGE refugium (near equal or larger than your display), a moderate one with a large deep sand bed, or an algae scrubber to really provide a big enough nutrient export relative to what can take root in your display or to even add much over what the LR in your display is doing. Even cheato or caulerpa won't compete with hair algae aggressively enough to beat it out unless it's part of a relatively very large refugium.

Now if this is part of a 10g display tank, then the refugium is a "competitive" size, but if it's attached to a more sizable tank, you're really just going to be providing a haven for pods and other micro organisms that will feed your tank naturally. That's a GOOD thing. Just not a filter.

I did not think it would be of size for filtration, I did whoever want to grow food for the tank and for certain livestock I would lieke...ie, mandarin. As much as Id lie a BIG one I just dont have the room...Great info than you VERY MUCH!

 

[tnyga]

DannyBradley;99304 wrote: Any excuse to add a nice mantis shrimp to a tank I would take! Sooo.. Add a nice mantis! If you don't have any crabs, shrimp, fish, or snails in there.

I would love a mantis...Is the refugium big enough?

 

[tnyga]

tsciarini;99353 wrote: looking at the second picture... I would say the first thing you should add is more water

LOL thanks tony...that picture was taken before pumps were turned on I was letting the Ocean Copepods soak into the sand ....

 

[jmaneyapanda]

First, you'll need to define what the purpose of your refugium will be. If you only want to grow macro algae, then add whatever you like. If you want to culture micro-life (which it sounds like as you are seeding with pods), do not add any life that will predate these animals. If you want to add shrimp or snails, do not add any laregr life, like mantis, crabs, etc.

I have seen MANY "refugiums" that are not a refuge for anything, they are just a smaller tank within the sump.

 

[tnyga]

Ok...

#1 Goal is to Culture "Micro Life" for tan. This is the sole reason for the refuge. I did not now the name of it but that seems to be it. I want a mandarin and to create pods for food. If they serve other purposes than great.

#2 If it is beneficial to have some sort of CUC in it then that would be my second concern...If it is what would they be?

#3 If a CUC is not beneficial or needed and I could house a Mantis without screwing up concern #1 then I would like to do that...

But the first reason is the dollars spent for a refugium and I dont want to deviate from that.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

tnyga;99413 wrote: Ok...

#1 Goal is to Culture "Micro Life" for tan. This is the sole reason for the refuge. I did not now the name of it but that seems to be it. I want a mandarin and to create pods for food. If they serve other purposes than great.

#2 If it is beneficial to have some sort of CUC in it then that would be my second concern...If it is what would they be?

#3 If a CUC is not beneficial or needed and I could house a Mantis without screwing up concern #1 then I would like to do that...

But the first reason is the dollars spent for a refugium and I dont want to deviate from that.

I wouldnt put a cucmber in there- I wouldnt see the purpose. If you put a mantis in there, it probably wouldnt bother the pods, but you wouldnt be able to put any cleanup crew in tehre then (snails, hermits, etc). And you'll have to feed it.

 

[blind1993]

cuc i believe is clean up crew, guessed it from they which is plural.