Refugium question - cleanup crew

[Neal Flomenberg]

I have a new 75 gallon tank cycling. I am in the process of also getting my refugium up and running and while the chaeto and a small amount of caulerpa are growing okay, there is a lot of other stuff growing in the live sand bed. I'm concerned some may be slime algae.

My question concerns the sand stirrers and clean up crew I should add. The question is what critters if any are likely to deal with any nuisance algaes in the refugium while not making a similar meal of the chaeto and caulerpa (or should I just give the chaeto and caulerpa a head start and not care).

Advice on the right inverts to add would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Neal

 

[vegaskid11]

I am interested to know the same. I just set up my fuge and have ordered some macro starter kit. I am also wondering what type of clean up crew should go into a refuge.

 

[bigcdc]

I am starting a tank and looking for a reef starting kit

Thanks
Chris

 

[ReefEze]

bumpity bump bump

 

[mastou]

First, red slime algae=Cyanobacteria? If yes ->

I had (I may still have?) some Stomatella snails and a lot of Cerith snails both should eat red slime algae and they haven't touched my Caulerpa, Halimeda, or Agardhiella (I think it is Agardhiella) algae.
I must admit I don't know for sure if they will eat red slime because when I had the problem I (by accident!) left my aquarium without light during Christmas (3days) and after this I haven't seen any red slime.
Though the literature says that the before mentioned snails should eat red slime...

Else this page claims that the Mexican Red Leg Hermit Crab will eat red slime algae, but I have never tried.

/Magnus

 

[ejaustin]

Mostly it depends on the purpose of the fuge. If it's primary purpose is to grow algae to balance the nitrates and thereby keep unsightly algae out of the display tank, that any algae in the fuge is good algae. It's still absorbing stuff from the water, whatever kind it is. In that case, make it a refuge (refugium) for the algae and keep critters that pray on algae out of it. Harvest the algae by hand when pruning is needed.

Having said that, I have a couple hermits in my fuge that is primarily to grow algae, but only because there are issues in having those critters in the display tank. One is a little red leg who was caught repeatedly harassing snails. The other is a species that will grow to be the size of my fist and I don't want him dining indiscriminately on the life in the display tank.

I did use live sand from an established tank and chaeto from an established tank to get some critters for the fuge, including spaghetti worms and a small pod population.

ej