Hello, I have been trying to run a 5 gallon refugium in a modified top off tank. I have attached pictures of my set up. I purchased a starter kit from Algae barn and set up in there. I have very low flow in the fuge. And run a ultraviolet light at night. My cheto never took off and now I just have this nasty algae mix that is like beads….and they stick to everything. The blocks that came with the starter kit just fall apart when I try to pull the bad algae out? I would like to start over but need to understand where I went wrong first. My end objective is a fuge that I can populate copepods to help with my reef and so I can add finicky fish. Thank you.
Help with Refugium
- Thread starter af4evr13
- Start date
RedEyeReef
Active member
What is low flow? You could try increasing it. Or even better, figure out a way to spin/rotate your cheto. I am running around 1200 gph through my 75 gallon refugium and it works great.
I like and have a Tunze light on one of my systems. Are you running (assuming opposite of reef lighting) an ultraviolet light other than the Tunze in the picture? If so, try just the Tunze over your fuge.
What are your water parameters, and is the tank new or seasoned? The cheto could of melted due to lack of nutrients.
Rarely there is one right answer in this hobbie. Keep trying different ways, it will work eventually.
- flow
- lighting
- nutrients / water quality
It's got to be one or combination of those things.
I like and have a Tunze light on one of my systems. Are you running (assuming opposite of reef lighting) an ultraviolet light other than the Tunze in the picture? If so, try just the Tunze over your fuge.
What are your water parameters, and is the tank new or seasoned? The cheto could of melted due to lack of nutrients.
Rarely there is one right answer in this hobbie. Keep trying different ways, it will work eventually.
- flow
- lighting
- nutrients / water quality
It's got to be one or combination of those things.
I have the water trickling out. So yes that is probably a problem. I will clean out all the unwanted stuff , get a new ball of Cheto. My parameters are good in all accounts …nothing really high or too low. I run the ultraviolet light you see in the picture only at night. No other light is used. Tank is two years old.
One question, when I clean it out and put in new cheto…should I switch to just live rock? I hear that is better for copepods.
One question, when I clean it out and put in new cheto…should I switch to just live rock? I hear that is better for copepods.
That algae looks really dark, so you have the nutrients to support it. It's looking a bit swampy in there so that could be a side effect of low flow and not harvesting out enough. You think that's bubble algae? Hard to tell from the picture. The marinepure blocks crumbling apart is a common complaint and I'm not sure what their purpose is in this application? Definitely switch to live rock if it's a needed thing.
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
Sounds like Valonia.
I honestly can’t help too much other than to say that I use a standard soft white LED bulb on mine and have no issues with growth. That said, I would definitely try increasing the flow a little bit. I’m not sure how much I have in mine (whatever the slots in my sump allow) but that does look like too low of flow
From your pics, the light doesn't appear bright enough. Definitely increase flow. It doesn't have to be a ton. If you don't have luck with chaeto, try Ulva. Pods love it, all herbivores love it.
Hey guys, picking back up on this thread. Looking to set up an internal Refugium on my Red Sea 350 Reefer. I tried converting the ATO that came with the tank I could never get it to take off. So I am going to attempt to use the small refugium that is built in the front of the sump. See pic below.
My biggest concern is the Fuge is before the skimmer and from what I have read that is not a good set up because cope pods etc would be stripped away before it goes back to the return pump. I have heard of some reefers that have bought a smaller diameter Skimmer that will fit in the refugium compartment and then turn the sump area where the skimmer currently sits into a refugium. Would love some thoughts around this and if I should go that route?
My biggest concern is the Fuge is before the skimmer and from what I have read that is not a good set up because cope pods etc would be stripped away before it goes back to the return pump. I have heard of some reefers that have bought a smaller diameter Skimmer that will fit in the refugium compartment and then turn the sump area where the skimmer currently sits into a refugium. Would love some thoughts around this and if I should go that route?
I would think any wayfaring pods that got close enough to the skimmer intake would get sucked away regardless where the skimmer was. Seems like overthinking it. I watch pods hang on right in front of powerheads all the time in my tank - then the yellow tail eats them.
Here is a very rough pic. The red line is the direction of water flow as it enters the sump. Flows first through the fuge and then into the skimmer area ...then back to return.
Attachments
After seeing the diagram, I agree with Sean^. Just set the fuge up in the sump as Red Sea intended. Yes, you’ll lose some pods to the skimmer but not all. They’re a lot tougher than people think.I would think any wayfaring pods that got close enough to the skimmer intake would get sucked away regardless where the skimmer was. Seems like overthinking it. I watch pods hang on right in front of powerheads all the time in my tank - then the yellow tail eats them.
