what to put in fuge?

[BYU]

I am restarting a 210 Barebottom
planning on mostly sps
what do you guys put in fuge?
sand If so what size? or just rock?

 

[Dre]

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/sale-trade/187710-red-macro-algae-pack-8-swap.html

 

[BYU]

link doesn't work

 

[Dre]

Try now

 

[BYU]

im restarting with nothing in the fuge yet
still filling tank with water
ill let you know when I'm ready
thanks

 

[BioMan]

How big is this fuge? I've only read they work if they're very large.

 

[MIKE NY]

I really didn't notice a difference in my water quality until I increased my fuge to almost half the total water volume. The same for algae scrubbers. I know many who have used them and only until they made them larger did they notice a difference, but even a small fuge is better than nothing. In my fuge I try to keep a diversity of nutrient exporting plants and animals. I have chaeto, dragon breath, prolifera, sand, rocks and just added Xenia. The fuge serves two purposes for me... The first as nutrient export and secondly an acclimation tank for my finicky newbies. After QT many fish start in there to acclimate to the DT water chemistry and the foods I fed without the competition of the DT.

 

[oseymour]

I have a small fuge on my 50 breeder but that's where Cyano and other ugly algae grow instead of in my display tank.

 

[theMeat]

Good points. Fuge needs to be big, algae scrubber not nearly as big, if it's well designed. Fuge, no matter the size, is good for critters to breed, away from predators. Plus gives a visual of where nitrate and phosphates are, and helps keep ph steady if you alternate light cycle with display too.

Would put a few varieties in the fuge, and see which does best in your system.

 

[HefeWeizen]

I have chaeto and caulerpa on some live rock, no sand, in about 12 gallons of water in my fuge on my 125. I'm skimmerless and my parameters are all in line.

 

[BYU]

thanks

 

[homegrowncichlid]

My refugium used to be full of macro algae when I first set it up (top photo), but now, I've placed a DIY upflow algae scrubber on the left side, which cleared up a lot of space for anything I want (bottom photo).
Main tank is the standard 36 x 18 65-gallon tank, bare bottom.
Refugium tank is the standard 36 x 12 38-gallon tank with 6" DSB

I use it as MIKE NY does also.