What are some refugium essentials?

[project1004]

I am in process of making a display refugium next to my display tank.
I been collecting some micro algaes locally and I am liking it so far.

I am wondering if there is any essentials to having properly thriving refugium. Any particular suppliments or requirements?

So far: I was told to light the fugi for about 18 hours a day.
I dose lugor solution when I do weekly water changes. There is no livestocks in the refugium at the moment except for pods and such. I do have flat warms that came with algae from one of three LFS. (I kinda know which one but I keep taht to myself). I will get flatwarm exit tommorow before it spreads.

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[porpoiseaquatics]

Looks like you have it covered. Where is your heater? I keep a heater in my refugium just to keep the temperature balanced. I have at least 3 types of macroalgae in mine. I would recommend a small powerhead in there to keep the detrius from collecting. I also keep some live rock in mine. I do not light mine but 12 hours a day though and I've heard it to be more beneficial to light it on an opposite cycle from the tank but I've never tried it.

 

[project1004]

I have pretty big sump under the main tank that keeps 2 Jager 150's and is connected to the refugium. I am also using 2 koralia pump I bought from you when I picked up those RW pumps. Hehe

I have five diffrent algae so far and some mangroves and sponge. I like to put the light cycle opposite to my main but I dont like light on at night. So it stays on daytime. LED light but I have white turned on more than blue to give like 10K looks for algae. Is this good? I have few small live rocks and that big white rock was sitting outside so I just added in there.

I was also told I need to add iron to refugium!

 

[ghbrewer]

The lower the kelvin, the better, for plants and macro algae.
6,500k always worked best for me when I ran a fuge.

 

[tonymission]

I run it in my sump with a separate compartment and have a bunch of those marinepure ceramic spheres in there for my tank biofilter. Running the light 24/7 right now but will stagger it with my photoperiod eventually... Chaeto is growing like nuts so I guess I had a phosphate issue.

 

[project1004]

I know for sure, I have detactable Phosphate as well as Nitrate even though I dont test for them.

I have 4 gallons worth of Seachem's Pond Matrix in the sump thats been running for over 3 years or so as well. Im gonna try to grow micro algae instead of corals.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

ghbrewer;997865 wrote: The lower the kelvin, the better, for plants and macro algae.
6,500k always worked best for me when I ran a fuge.

+1. I think mine is somewhere in that range as well. I use a Par30 LED bulb over mine.

 

[tonymission]

I read that 6500k was a good number but couldn't find one at HD. Took a flyer on a 5k Par LED and it's like steroids for my macros. Don't think you can go wrong in that 5-7k range.

 

[redstang]

tonymission;997883 wrote: I run it in my sump with a separate compartment and have a bunch of those marinepure ceramic spheres in there for my tank biofilter. Running the light 24/7 right now but will stagger it with my photoperiod eventually... Chaeto is growing like nuts so I guess I had a phosphate issue.

Tony, just a heads up that there are reports of the marine pure ceramic media leaching aluminum. Akin to Seachem phosguard. I run an 8x4x4 block in my sump and believe it's the reason I've never had measurable nitrates. But this is of concern to me. There was a thread on RC about it. Everything is anecdotal right now but guys are sending water samples off for that triton test and those with marinepure blocks have elevated Al.

I think I read that there are some poly filters that absorb Al and turn color if they do. Thinking about finding some and throwing them in a filter sock to see if they change color. Also starting to look and see if there is anything I can run in a reactor that might bind Al.

 

[genesis]

When I had a fuge I ran it with Miracle Mud, Chaetomorpha, live rock rubble, pods, 6500k cfl bulb and it was booming with life. Had higher nitrates and phosphates so the chaetomorpha grew mad. Now that I don't have those anymore I removed the fuge and put it all up for sale.

 

[tonymission]

RedStang;997955 wrote: Tony, just a heads up that there are reports of the marine pure ceramic media leaching aluminum. Akin to Seachem phosguard. I run an 8x4x4 block in my sump and believe it's the reason I've never had measurable nitrates. But this is of concern to me. There was a thread on RC about it. Everything is anecdotal right now but guys are sending water samples off for that triton test and those with marinepure blocks have elevated Al.



I think I read that there are some poly filters that absorb Al and turn color if they do. Thinking about finding some and throwing them in a filter sock to see if they change color. Also starting to look and see if there is anything I can run in a reactor that might bind Al.

Thanks for the heads up. Just read about that and don't really see anything except some anecdotal evidence. Even if, I guess there are three kinds of AI and only one is harmful at those levels -- Triton test is unable to differentiate between the types. I might try using a poly filter as well to be safe ... Let me know if you find one.

 

[jbdreefs]

I think the Aviarium carries the poly filters. I have bought one from them previously, albeit a long time ago.

 

[tonymission]

JBDreefs;998160 wrote: I think the Aviarium carries the poly filters. I have bought one from them previously, albeit a long time ago.

Is it just generic as far as what it filters or are there different ones?

 

[jbdreefs]

It removes multiple things and changes color based on what it absorbs. The package will have a color chart.

for example, I think brown is for organic material and green means copper (or something to that effect.)

 

[project1004]

Seachem's matrix rocks are known to be affective at controlling ammonia and nitrite. If you have big system, Pond matrix will be ideal. Highly recommend it.

 

[tonymission]

JBDreefs;998192 wrote: It removes multiple things and changes color based on what it absorbs. The package will have a color chart.

for example, I think brown is for organic material and green means copper (or something to that effect.)

Been running that PolyFilter in a sock for about 12 hours now and it's still white. There is a specific color for aluminum (bright red) so ill make sure to report back if the status changes. I really hope it doesn't because I want to love these! lol