Refugium Help

[1entra]

I am in the process of setting up a refugium for my 25G nano reef set-up but need some advice.

I have a 20" x 12" x 4" HOB acrylic refugium, for it I have bought a 400lph pump and a 11w 6700K full daylight spectrum clip-on light. will the lighting be adequate to grow some sort of macro algae (caulerpa/cheato) to aid phospate and nitrate removal?

The refugium comes with a 4" x 4" filter chamber which i plan on filling with live rock rubble, would 1 or 2kg be enough?

And finally what should i use as the subtrate in the refugium? i was planning on using mineral mud but it is VERY expensive stuff. does anybody have any other recommendations or would it be best just to sick with the mud?

Cheerz

 

[SkiFletch]

I'd use no substrate at all, just the rubble, light, and macro algae

 

[1entra]

Really?? Would that actually work? Thanks for that SkiFetch I'll give it a go and if it dont work then might add something in the future.

By the way I'm planning on using a phospate remover like Rowaphos and/or activated carbon in the refugium. Do you think it would be a good idea to add them in the filter compartment above the rock rubble so water passes through them, then the live rock rubble before entering the macroalgae?

I also plan on using a filter pad/sponge above the carbon/phosphate removers to act as a mechanical filter media to remove any large pieces of debris from the main tank. Would this be ok or would it all cause problems in the future?

 

[SkiFletch]

Yes, very good idea to use rowaphos/carbon. The filter pad is OK so long as you clean it weekly. Dunno if you want to be bothered.

 

[1entra]

Hi there, I'm just wondering how should I work the lighting in the refugium, should I leave it on 24/7 to help control the macroalgae (caulerpa) going all a sexual and becoming a pest or should i use a reverse lighting method ie. turn the refugium light on when the tank lights go off and vice versa?

Also would it be ok to go mangrove plants alongside macroalgae in the refugium? Has anybody got any experience of keeping mangroves? can you please tell me how big they can grow in a refugium and the rate of growth?

Cheerz

 

[Musho3210]

i wouldnt use caulpera due to the fact that it may go sexual and bombard your tank. Maybe if you have some heavy grazing herbivorous fish in your tank MAYBE you could try it, but i would stick with chaeto. Chaeto is also easier to harvest.

As for rowa-phos and carbon, i would put that AFTER the rubble and chaeto, cause if the rowa-phos and carbon soak up all the nutrients first, then whats the chaeto gonna get? And its cheaper to just grow chaeto than it is to constantly replace rowa-phos and carbon. So have chaeto first and all the phosphates and other nutrients that the chaeto missed will get absorbed by the rowa-phos etc. Your GFO and carbon will last longer this way.

 

[1entra]

Thanks for the advice Musho3210.

So what about the mangroves?? i've seen several people selling them on ebay and they are not than expensive. Anybody have any experience with keepin/growing them??

 

[Musho3210]

i wouldnt know about mangroves, but i heard they do a better job than chaeto but are harder to grow. I also heard caulpera takes more nutrients faster than chaeto, but it may go sexual.....

 

[AK77]

Chaeto is great stuff. Its a hardy macro algae, that doesn't have huge light requirements. It grows rapidly and wont go sexual or dissolve like bubble algae can. It also provides excellent breeding ground for cocepods. It will help with nitrate/phosphate removal. I agree with musho. Add the rowaphos/carbon after you add the macro algae. I'd test your water weekly to see if the chaeto is reducing the levels. If after a month the Nitrates/Phosphates haven't decreased noticeably, then go with the chemical filtration.

 

[1entra]

Thanx everybody for all your inputs!

I think I might just stick with getting some cheato rather than caulerpa and see how it goes. Might also try a mangrove plant or two to see what happens, they're quite cheap anyway so wouln't be too much of a loss if thinks didn't work out!

 

[1entra]

By the way how should I work the lighting on the refugium... 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week; or reverse lighting... when the tank lights go off, the refugium light comes on??

 

[Musho3210]

reverse lighting

 

[1entra]

How long after starting a refugium in a uncycled tank should I add the macroalgae? Should I wait till just after the tank (liverock) has cycled or should I wait till I have some livestock in the tank and so have increased the bio-load for the macroalgae to feed off the nutrients??

 

[AK77]

How long after starting a refugium in a uncycled tank should I add the macroalgae? Should I wait till just after the tank (liverock) has cycled or should I wait till I have some livestock in the tank and so have increased the bio-load for the macroalgae to feed off the nutrients??

It depends on the water chemistry. If the LR is bought locally and transferred to the tank within 30 minutes, there will be little in the way of die-off and very little ammonia and as a result, little nitrates for the algae to feed on. I'd test the water before adding macroalgae personally.

 

[1entra]

The live rock will be bought of the internet so will probly take upto a day getg into the tank so might have high die-off.

So what should the water parameteres be before adding macroalgae?