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Refugium bottom

Sponge

Sponge

As our tank begins it’s cycle I am looking towards the future. I have a tank plumbed in that we intend to use as a refugium. The question is do I go bare bottom, sand or mud. Please share Any experience, opinion or view.
I wish it to not only act as nutrient export but also as a haven for microfauna that may work it’s way into the display tank.
Photos of yours would be appreciated :)
 
David

David

That depends. Are you going to have a bare bottom, normal sand bed, or deep sand bed in your display. If you don’t have sand in display, you might want some in the sump. Of course there are plenty of successful tanks with no sand at all. Are you planing to light your refugium, and grow algae in it? The algae alone would host a lot of microfauna. There are a lot of ways to do it. Rubble in the sump is good, As long as you keep good flow, and some manual cleaning in there. If not the rubble becomes a detritus trap. Bare bottom is easy to keep clean. The jury is still out on weather theres any benefit to mud. It can be quite messy to work with. What works well for one won’t necessarily work well for another.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Awesome input David. Display has about one inch of sand (approx 60 pounds of Fiji pink). Yes my intention is to light the refugium. If I am not mistaken, I believe photo period should oppose the Display? If jury is still out on mud then I’ll skip it and let more experienced people figure it out on their systems. Incase it helps to know. The refugium is a 55 gallon. (No particular reason, I just happen to have several old 55s that are to scratched to use as a display.
 
David

David

Sponge said:
Awesome input David. Display has about one inch of sand (approx 60 pounds of Fiji pink). Yes my intention is to light the refugium. If I am not mistaken, I believe photo period should oppose the Display? If jury is still out on mud then I’ll skip it and let more experienced people figure it out on their systems. Incase it helps to know. The refugium is a 55 gallon. (No particular reason, I just happen to have several old 55s that are to scratched to use as a display.
Click to expand...
I have Fiji pink too! Most people do appossing lighting schedules.
 
Haus

Haus

I use rock rubble in my fuge. More surface area for beneficial bacteria, and more grazing space for pods. Also have macroalgae in there. I vote no to sand.
 
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amado

amado

Dal
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NJRC Member
I have to say I will never run a tank without mud. I don’t replace it or change it. I leave it alone the pods love it. It’s easier to grow macro algae with mud as a substrate. I believe biodiversity and mud is part of the ocean. I have never cleaned my refugium I have two. I don’t touch or disturb it. I cut and trim the algae and that’s it.
 
erics210

erics210

NJRC Member
ToTstart I have water draindinto 2 4 inchifilter socks I change a couple ime a week. You will get debates on them too. Then skimmer area. I started with a sand bed and live rock/rubble in my refugium area. But as David pointed out they do collect detritus. An extra small powerheadss could help with that. I have since removed the sand from the refugium/sump and now have live rock and cheato. I like it better as it is simpler. Plus if I put a fish or other in sump time out, easier to remove a few rocks and some cheato to catch without stirring up detritus filled sand.
 
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