Which Refugium Substrate???

Which Refugium Substrate???

  • Sugar Fine Sand (3-5 inches)

    Votes: 10 29.4%
  • Miracle Mud (3-5 inches)

    Votes: 3 8.8%
  • Bare Bottom

    Votes: 16 47.1%
  • Other (explain)

    Votes: 4 11.8%
  • I would use it as a frag/naughty fish section!!

    Votes: 1 2.9%

  • Total voters
    34

Clownin Aroun

YouTube name- KNGRNGS
So I am going to set up the refugium part of my sump soon and simply can not make up my mind of what substrate (if any) i want to run on the bottom.

The section itself is 18 x 10 x 12

I am going to be running some macro algae in there but do not know if i want to add:


~ Sugar Fine Sand (3-5 inches)

~ Miracle Mud (3-5 inches)

~ Bare Bottom


And after thinking about it, should i even run macro at all? I have zero ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate!

Please vote and let me know what you think!!!
Thanks!

IMG_3819_zps1a6b572e.jpg
 
If NO3 and PO4 are zero I don't see much reason to change. But a little chaeto and a barebotom substrate couldn't hurt if you keep it clean of detritus. Don't put a bunch of mud in that nice clean looking sump.
 
Clownin Aroun said:
So I am going to set up the refugium part of my sump soon and simply can not make up my mind of what substrate (if any) i want to run on the bottom.

The section itself is 18 x 10 x 12

I am going to be running some macro algae in there but do not know if i want to add:


~ Sugar Fine Sand (3-5 inches)

~ Miracle Mud (3-5 inches)

~ Bare Bottom


And after thinking about it, should i even run macro at all? I have zero ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate!

Please vote and let me know what you think!!!
Thanks!

IMAGE#1




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If NO3 and PO4 are zero I don't see much reason to change. But a little chaeto and a barebotom substrate couldn't hurt if you keep it clean of detritus. Don't put a bunch of mud in that nice clean looking sump.

I couldn't agree more. Skip the mud, it will do nothing for the tank.
 
You could also consider adding some coarser substrate and some live rock rubble under the chaeto to give pods a nice additional habitat. I don't think you'd run into problems with much detritus since the refugium is placed after the filtersocks/skimmer.
 
leave it bare and use the section for quarantine. if you run into elevating PO4/NO3 down the road you could always just throw a ball of Chaeto in there with a 5500 or 6500K bulb to help.

keep it as easy as possible to maintain.

nice sump and plumbing!
 
I've ran sand, miracle mud, and now BB. I now prefer BB. When I had a DSB my nitrates hovered at 40 now that I am BB I am 0-5. Just my experience.
 
leave it bare and use the section for quarantine. if you run into elevating PO4/NO3 down the road you could always just throw a ball of Chaeto in there with a 5500 or 6500K bulb to help.

keep it as easy as possible to maintain.

nice sump and plumbing!

I was thinking along those lines as well. I designed it to be a refugium but I am now rethinking that since I don't "need" it.

And thanks!!
 
I've ran sand, miracle mud, and now BB. I now prefer BB. When I had a DSB my nitrates hovered at 40 now that I am BB I am 0-5. Just my experience.

That's strange that your nitrates were lower with BB then with a DSB.

Good to know though
 
Doesn't chingchai swear by miracle mud? One of the nicest reefs in the world that I'm aware of, but most people don't like mud filtration.
 
I run 3" crushed coral in the bottom of my 55G refugium completely full of chaeto. The reason I did this was for all the pods. I feed 5 cubes of food a day, oyster and phyto feast every other day, and several silversides for the lionfish.... 0 nitrates!
 
I've been running 2" Miracle Mud with Chaeto for 6 months. I never used any of the other options described above, but I am happy with the way my system is running. 0 Nitrates, but I can't say that's because I have mud vs something else. I also run a GFO reactor and RO skimmer, 75 gallon reef with 25 gallon ProFlex 4.

Your sump looks super clean!
 
I run a separate sump and refugium. I keep sugar sand and some coarser sand in there along with rock and macro. The whole purpose of a refugium imo is to foster an environment that is safe from predators (fish, corals etc) that lets your pods and other small critters grow and multiply. A tank within a tank is how I look at it. If you don't care about this function then you just want to stick with a sump which is not with this poll asked about.

'Bare bottom' might as well be the sump option but as many people can attest to even bare bottoms will start growing sponges and other things clinging to the walls where there is decent flow. 'Other' isn't really a pick...unless you explain what you mean by other :p 'Mud' from everything I've read is something you'd find in a mangrove type setting so unless that is the biotope you are creating I think just using sand is a better option. 'QT/naughty fish' is the last thing you want to stick in your refugium since you are defeating the purpose of a refugium by sticking a fish in there. Frags basically the same thing...what do you think corals eat? :)

Most refugium fauna needs either sand, rock or macro from what I understand so that's what I voted for...sugar sand. A refugium in my system supplies food for the DT and to do that effectively sugar sand is the best option.
 
I run a separate sump and refugium. I keep sugar sand and some coarser sand in there along with rock and macro. The whole purpose of a refugium imo is to foster an environment that is safe from predators (fish, corals etc) that lets your pods and other small critters grow and multiply. A tank within a tank is how I look at it. If you don't care about this function then you just want to stick with a sump which is not with this poll asked about.

'Bare bottom' might as well be the sump option but as many people can attest to even bare bottoms will start growing sponges and other things clinging to the walls where there is decent flow. 'Other' isn't really a pick...unless you explain what you mean by other :p 'Mud' from everything I've read is something you'd find in a mangrove type setting so unless that is the biotope you are creating I think just using sand is a better option. 'QT/naughty fish' is the last thing you want to stick in your refugium since you are defeating the purpose of a refugium by sticking a fish in there. Frags basically the same thing...what do you think corals eat? :)

Most refugium fauna needs either sand, rock or macro from what I understand so that's what I voted for...sugar sand. A refugium in my system supplies food for the DT and to do that effectively sugar sand is the best option.

Wow, fairly critical and picky with specific wording huh? What are you an english teacher? :lolspin:

I completely disagree that bare bottom might as well be just a sump, there was nothing saying there would not be rocks and or macro in the section thus still being a "refugium".

QT/naughty fish section is opposed to using the section as a refugium all together, sorry i can no longer change the title to reflect that option.
 
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