Refugium sand...

[Reefer2727]

Wondering if I should put sand in my refugium. I see lots of sumps with bare bottom fuges. Whats the deal?

 

[100%hydrophylic]

i would put live sand in a refugium. probably doesnt do very much if your main tank is filled with live sand but i like it. theres also special refugium substrate (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+9805+7319&pcatid=7319) that you could put in there. i dont have first hand experience with the stuff but you could test it out.

 

[jb61264]

I put sand in mine because I want it to be like another little tank I also put a smaller piece of live rock in there because I eventually want to keep a smaller mantis shrimp in there

 

[Reefer2727]

Thanks.

I agree JB. I also want it to look like a little tank. I will have to find a small bag of live sand.

 

[tmz]

I don't use sand under macroalgae. It gets too messy from the algal exudate. Bare bottom with chaetomorpha is my preference.

 

[atwinparadox2]

One time under my 90 i had a long sump with multiple chambers. I had separated two chambers one with sand and rock and another with some tumbling cheato. So the water would go through the sand and rock then to the cheato, then to the return. The first section held my skimmer, heater, reactors and so on. I liked the setup but the tank cracked so i opted for two smaller tanks instead.

 

[Reefer2727]

Does anyone just put aragonite or something like that in the fuge? Would that have any benefits?

 

[jayb12]

im running a 2" sand bed in mine of crushed coral, deffinitally couldnt hurt thats for sure. plus as others said i like the look of it/ if a fish acts up or i gotta do something in the tank and they cant be in it then its a good spot with lots of cover for them to chill.