Cleaning Refugiums

[gandolf8]

Does anyone tear down Refugium to clean it ?

 

[Capt_Cully]

I used to when I ran a big one that was a separate tank. I'd try to siphon the bottom of it, as I kept it bare bottom. I would do this about once a month. And a few times a year, I'd prune the chaetomorpha and give the whole thing a solid cleaning. After seeing all of the silt and build up in the bottom, I'm sure a lack of cleaning it would have lead to waste products remaining in the system and possibly leaching back out into the water column.

 

[gandolf8]

So don't clean it just leave it.

 

[cardiffgiant]

I don't tear it down, but I do drain it when I clean it. I do my water changes from my fuge, since that's where the detritus winds up. If you aren't shaking your chaeto out and siphoning your fuge, you are definitely building up nuitrients.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I would definitely clean it If you can Terry.

 

[gandolf8]

Here is some pic of my refugium tell me what you think do I clean it or not?

 

[Capt_Cully]

What's on the bottom? Sand? Live rock? Or is it bare bottom?

 

[gandolf8]

sand and rock

 

[gandolf8]

So do I tear this down an clean it ?

 

[Capt_Cully]

What is your reasoning?

Personally id try to clean it or tidy it up. Tear down? I'm not so sure I'd go that far Terry.

 

[Ellery]

I just do what Cully does and clean the bare bottom of any sludge

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Do the benifits out weigh the nutrient issues? If you are keeping the fuge as a refugium for things like worms and pods that get picked off in the main tank, then you may decide to let it go. Should the tank ever start looking like there is a nutrient control problem, then that is one of the places on the list to problem solve. If the fuge is actually a sort of algea scrubber designed for nutrient control, then regular cleaning and trimming is a must. With what you have there at the very least I might want to get in there with a power head or a baster and blow out the rock (shutting down its drain) and suck out a water change.

 

[mr86mister]

I wouldn't tear it apart either. I'd just trim a few things down and clean out any remaining/visible detritus. I think tearing it apart and taking it offline may increase the chances of a hiccup in the system. Little pieces at a time have always worked for me.