Best species for refugium

[DjPhato]

I would like to ask your opinion about which would be the best species for a refugium that would help controlling contaminants and unwanted algae in the main tank.
Can I put more than one species?
Chaetomorpha? Any other?

Also, would be a good idea to use ChartoGro from Brightwell Aquatics? Or any advice about fertiliser? Will it also cause algea growth in the main tank?

Never had refugium so I am really looking forward for any of your recommendations

Thanks a lot!

 

[griss]

I’ve never had luck with chaeto. It requires (from what I understand) iron additions. Too much work

I’ve always just added a wide variety of macroalgae…mostly Caulerpa species. They grow fast (have to prune them back), remove a ton of nitrate and phosphate, and are easy to care for.

Only downside is, if they go to the sexual reproduction stage, the whole thing could crash and release all those nutrients in the tank. But, IME, keeping them trimmed back helps alleviate the potential of that happening.

 

[DjPhato]

I see, are there any situations that can cause sexual reproduction or it just randomly happens?

 

[griss]

I don’t recall if we identified a cause. I think it just happens. But, if memory serves, keeping it pruned back can reduce the chances.

 

[Cdentata]

I have a 5-chambered sump for my 55g DT: 1. Filter socks; 2. Skimmer; 3. Unused; 4. MarinePure Biobeads; 5. Return pump. I currently do frequent 2-3 gallon water changes out of chamber 3, the unused one, using a Sicce Nano pump. I do not have high nitrate (always less than 2 ppm) and phosphate is always less than 0.07-0.1 ppm.

If I add Copepods as a food source for my fish and Macroalgae to the sump, should the chamber I use for water changes be upstream of the chamber holding the Copepods? Do I need the MarinePure Biobeads?