Refugium Question

[sxtsvnstng]

Ok so i got a refugium (well one on the way), what do or should i put in it besides live sand and live rock rubble? Also once i put everything in it can i just replace the wet dry with the refugium? Will that cause a cycle?

 

[wantsalotta]

I'll give you some Chaeto, which will have lots of microfauna in it (pods brittle stars etc.) Pm me, and whenever you want to pick some up.

As far as replacing the wet dry, every couple days, remove a handful of bioballs until they are all gone. Doing this slowly gives the nitrifying bacteria time to grow in other parts of your system. Once the bio balls are all removed, you should be fine to switch over whenever you have all of the plumbing and twice as much fresh saltwater as you think you'll need.

 

[sxtsvnstng]

Awesome thank you. I should be getting it in the next couple of days and then start making water, i figure on 10 gallons but now maybe 20ish, might as well do my wqater change now. I will pm you when i get it set up.

 

[sxtsvnstng]

So that is all i should have in there? Should i also get some crabs and snails for in there?

 

[wantsalotta]

you don't have to. If i end up with a hermit that gets too large, or likes to throw frags off the rocks, I condemn him to the fuge. A few snails are nice, especially if you are gonna be viewing the fuge at all (some species will reproduce qite successfully in a fuge, with no fish to eat the eggs.) Ideally, you want to limit herbivores that will predate macro algeas, ad any predators that will prey on microfauna (it is a refugium, in the literal sense of the word.)

 

[sxtsvnstng]

makes sense, no real need to keep too clean if i am not looking at.