Hello...just added a refug to my system about a week ago and it's stocked with a couple different macro algaes, 5" base of mineral mud, and about 5lbs of live rock rubble. It's approx 15gal. Anyway just was wondering if I should put any animals in it such as snails, or shrimp or any other type of cleaning crew. Is this something people do? The light cycle I'm running is opposite whenever the tank is on. Thanks..
Refugium Animal Stocking
- Thread starter Particleman
- Start date
sure you're going to want detriovors and algae eaters etc. What sort of algae do you have? If it's a calupera variety I'd probably get something to nibble on it as well. That will help prevent it from going sexual and fowling your water. Other wise your going to have to give it a trim from time to time. If you avoid hermits you can also grow all sorts of little critters in there that won't make it in your main tank.
hth
chris
hth
chris
ya i wanted to stay away from crabs, figured maybe a brittle star, some snails. I have caluerpa prolifera, chaeto, and the "tang heaven" stuff. Main reason I added it was for nutrient export and some extra food.
I also have calupera proliferia and cheato in my 20gal refugium. Had trouble getting the tang heaven stuff to grow. I really like the Cheato the best. I ordered the mix and match from IPSF.COM and it was good stuff. The snails that they say will reproduce in your tank are great now I must have 100. They live all throughout the cheato. good luck
Yup that will work also if you can get a couple cups of sand from a friend and add to fuge you'll be surprised what will show up. Keep an eye on the calupera though if it grows to fast and the snail and such perfer the cheato ,"which they will IME", the calupera can go sexual and defeat the purpose of the fuge. It will sort of make your tank water look like split pea soup . Just trim it and you won't have problems.
I've found that I'm as interested in the little guys in my sump/fuge as I am in the main tank lots of times. Over time it will turn into a thriving colony of sponges, pods, formanifrians, etc.
too cool
chris
I've found that I'm as interested in the little guys in my sump/fuge as I am in the main tank lots of times. Over time it will turn into a thriving colony of sponges, pods, formanifrians, etc.
too cool
chris
Cool thanks...how will I know if it's overgrown out of curosity? The prolifera sorta is more like a bush all tangled up in each other. It fills up most of the refugium but it seems like there is enough light for it.
I'd just trim it every two weeks or so . trust me you'll know there will be runners going every where in short order. You might want to remove the bottom of the stack it won't live if there is no light and that will defeat your purpose.
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