What's in your refugium?

[DamnPepShrimp]

I want to redo my refugium when I set up my 110g but want some ideas. I'm going plumb a 20g to my sump so I can regulate a slow trickle flow. I have two types of algae in there, cheato and caulerpa. I want to add more, different types also. Also I've heard flame scallops lower nitrates, anyone have any in there refugium? Inorder for a refugium to be effective, do you have to literally cut out some of the algae to remove excess nutrients, thus the whole reason for the refugium?

So let's here it, what's in your refugium, set up details and pics would be nice!

 

[fishysteve]

Cutting some of the algae and throwing it away is "nutrient export". I just keep caulerpa prolifera, some unidentified red macro algae, two hermit crabs, some astrea snails, and one small conch in my fuge.

 

[phunckie]

mine sounds very similar to yours at the moment.
It only contains grape calerpa and cheato.

 

[mg426]

Chaeto, LR, And a DSB are in my regugium.

 

[Sangogo]

I keep chaeto, LR and overgrown snails in my fuge. (I got tired of them knocking stuff over in the main tank.)

I tried growing my mangroves in the fuge, but it didn't work out and now I have them in the main tank.

 

[phunckie]

oh... well I have live sand and live rock rubble in mine, as well, but only cheato & calerpa as far as macros. My fuge has only been set up for about a month. I'm getting ready to add a big turbo snail and a few small hermit crabs.

 

[Reef'in Colorado]

I have a 5-6in DSB, several pounds of LR rubble and calurpa in my sump/fuge.

 

[nova62]

my 55 gal fuge has 3" sand bed lr,cheato & calerpa,snails,crabs,alge blenny,lime green wrasse and a fumanchu lion and a few misc corals

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I forgot to add I have a DSB and live rock as well. So does anyone have flame scallops? Also who cuts out the algae or "crops" it so to say? Anything else besides algaes, sand and live rock that are benficial to add to refugiums? Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Gdevine]

Miracle mud, cheato, a Mexican Turbo and tons of pods and bristle worms!

 

[davidryder]

 

[phunckie]

what's the red macro in that pic?

 

[ganjero]

chaeto, caulerpa, DSB, Rock, snails and millions of pods.

 

[zyglow]

I only have LR and DSB at the moment. Hopefully I'll find some chaeto this weekend.

 

[luke33]

Just a huuuuge clump of chaeto. Its pry 24" by 18"wide by 8" deep....full of pod

On a side note, a freakin spider got in there and lived on the side. Every time i came and checked it out he would jump in the water and go inside the chaeto and hide.....he did this for a few weeks and fed off the copods......he stayed underwater for 10min or so, must have been air pockets down there. It was pretty wild, i finally got him but thought i'd share that strange spider story.

 

[nikon70]

stage1: live rock where the water filters thru from the main tank
stage2: i have 3 inches of sand with algae, tube worms and some brittle stars
stage3: deltec ap600 skimmer

lights on 18hrs a day, blue and sun glow t5 lights

keeps main tank nice and tidy and clean..!!!

 

[ganjero]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10999937#post10999937 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nikon70
stage1: live rock where the water filters thru from the main tank
stage2: i have 3 inches of sand with algae, tube worms and some brittle stars
stage3: deltec ap600 skimmer

lights on 18hrs a day, blue and sun glow t5 lights

keeps main tank nice and tidy and clean..!!!

That sounds more like a sump/refugium

 

[beaglelax]

does the miracle mud work well or is sand the better choice ?

 

[Gdevine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10999993#post10999993 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beaglelax
does the miracle mud work well or is sand the better choice ?

Many threads on this and it all depends on personal choice and what your research tells you.

I went with miracle mud for many reasons but most importantly is that most tanks with this type of biological filter thrive - especially corals and all types of fauna.

In my tank everything is growing strong and have never lost a coral. I do practice weekly water changes and have T5 HO lighting.

It's a bit expensive but for me in the long run it's paid off and my fuge teems with life!