Best Substrate for Sump/Refugium

[AC_Rhino]

I'm putting together a 10g sump once my baffles get in. It will just be in overflow in, refugium, I guess some trays for carbon or something, and then return out. I will probably use most of the tank for the refugium and keep the baffles as far apart as I can for that. I will likely want 2-4 inches of substrate in that refugium section. Right now on the tank I have a 5g HOB refugium which is great ... but I used CaribSea Mineral Mud Refugium Substrate in it and I don't know if I like it. I will probably need 3-5 gallons to fill the sump with substrate so what is the best option for that? Just plain old sand? More mud? Crushed Coral? I don't plan or growing live corals or frags in there, I just plan on using a plan white light in there. I will definitely use it as a time out room for murder crabs or other things that get on my nerves though. it will be filled with algae of a few types and whatever pods and other lifeforms make there way down. Any suggestions?

 

[NO3]

This stuff is not cheap....but you asked

http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/products/marine/miraclemud/miracle-mud/

 

[d2mini]

I don't use any substrate anymore. I have sand in the display tank. So just macros.
Most want a fuge to reduce nutrients and have a place for pods to produce. Substrate is not necessary and is just a place for detritus to collect.
Unless you are creating a deep sand bed, but most people don't make it deep enough and they end of worse off in the end.

 

[hijinks]

None.. makes it easier to clean. If you want to use miracle mud put it in a tuperware container in the sump

 

[nereefpat]

+2 for no substrate

 

[AC_Rhino]

None.. makes it easier to clean. If you want to use miracle mud put it in a tuperware container in the sump

That is a great idea ... +2 for genius

 

[uclamatthew]

Definitely like the idea of using a container within the sump/fuge.

 

[Mock]

I agree with the "none" above. I have rubble rock in a milk create and a ball of cheato that gets pulled ever couple months and empty it completely and vacuum the tank bottom. I dont want anything down there that I cant clean.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

The "mud" comes packaged in a Tray Assembly you can lift out when necessary.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Since macro algae don't have true roots, substrate is not necessary. Pods and worms like it though, so maybe a little sand and rubble would be helpful.

 

[NO3]

+1

No substrate for sump

Miracle mud for refugium

 

[d2mini]

+1

No substrate for sump

Miracle mud for refugium

lol, no one puts substrate in skimmer or return sections.
But i assume you mean a separate refugium... not one that is a partition of a sump.

As far as miracle mud goes... i've used it before. Also used Walt Smith's Fiji Mud. It's ok for certain applications, like in the mangrove tank that I had. But just a tray in the sump? Nah... it doesn't do anything quantifiable.
Even in a separate fuge where I just want to grow chaeto I wouldn't use substrate anymore.

 

[AlSimmons]

I may have missed it above, but is the sump a 10 gallon tank? If so just keep it simple. A return pump, a heater, an ATO and perhaps a skimmer. Don't overthink it. GL.

 

[ReefJak]

I agree none

 

[Nimitz87]

none.

I have some big live rock pieces and chaeto, in my return section I run egg crate cages of siporax.