critters in the refugium

[Sea Turtle]

Do you add them to your refugium? Like small fish, snails, crabs, etc...)

 

[Anonymous]

It kind of depends what your refugium is primarily intended to do. If it's meant at least in part to be a source of food for the tank, don't add anything that might consume that food (i.e. most fish, crabs, anemones). Snails wouldn't do any harm, I wouldn't think.

However, if it's just meant to be a way to export nitrates, it matters less. You just might want to avoid anything that will eat your chaeto/poop a lot and undercut the point of it. :wink:

 

[Sea Turtle]

Thanks.

I am mainly using it to remove nitrates and phosphates.

I have a watchman goby that no matter what I do, always finds a way out of the tank an into the sump. If I do in fact stop him with netting around the overflow, he will just let himself suck to it. To make a long story short he has spent about 90% of his 8 month time period in my tank living in the sump. My wife calls him Sumpy. I think that he is afraid of the other fish.

So I felt bad and decided to give him his own tank in the refugium. He seems to be happy in there.

 

[Anonymous]

The only problem is that the goby will eat many of the critters that you want in the refugium. I do not think that he will wipe out the whole cash of pods, but he will deplete the population. The refugium will be fine with the macro algae for nutrient removal.

Are you going to do reverse lighting?

24/7 lighting will not be good for the fish IMO.

 

[Sea Turtle]

The only problem is that the goby will eat many of the critters that you want in the refugium. I do not think that he will wipe out the whole cash of pods, but he will deplete the population. The refugium will be fine with the macro algae for nutrient removal.

Are you going to do reverse lighting?

24/7 lighting will not be good for the fish IMO.

I usually turn the lights out in the refugium at night when the I go to bed.

 

[Anonymous]

The good thing about having the refugium lighting on a reverse cycle (on when the main lights are off) is that it can help stop dramatic swings in pH in the tank at night. But not necessary, just an additional benefit.

 

[Sea Turtle]

ok, maybe I'll try that then. Sure isn;t much of a problem.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm planning to have one set up when I finally set up my tank once we move. Trouble is finding the right sump to fit a decent sized refugium into. I have a Precision Marine drop-in refugium that I bought when I set up my last tank, but never used, but I think it might be too small to be worth much.

 

[Sea Turtle]

I have a small 4 gallon tank that I set up next to my sump. There is a small pump pushing water into it from the sump with an overflow that goes back into the sump. Seems to be ok. Would like a bigger one but have no space for it. Someday I am going to move all of that to the basement and make some holes in the hardwood floor. Now, just how I'm going to get wife to agree... :?

 

[Anonymous]

"Getting the wife to agree" is one of our perpetual challenges! :wink:

It's frustrating that, unless you've got a really large tank, it's difficult to fit a decent refugium in and have room for a decent protein skimmer and return pump etc. I want to order one online, but the only decent one I've been able to find is the Trigger Systems Crystal range, which doesn't have a great refugium section.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Yes, for sure.

I dread having to clean the skimmer and filter bag since they are so cramped in under the tank. To be honest, I installed my sump under my tank from the back of the cabinet before the tank was full. I honestly don;t think that I could get it out from under the tank without having to break it. Same with the skimmer.

 

[Anonymous]

To be honest, that's the reason I never used that drop-in refugium. I bought it after the tank was full and couldn't get it in the sump! :lol: