i want to get a hang on the back refugium for my 60 gallon hex reef tank. right now i have caulerpa in my display tank and i want to take it out because i am going to get a fish that eats micro algae. i also want to get a green madarin fish and i want to have a place to thrive the copepods in. my question is what do you think about this hang on the back refugium i found at drsfosterandsmith.com http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3727+3618&pcatid=3618? also what do you guys think about miracle mud in a refugium?
hang on the back refugium??
- Thread starter jenniferroman
- Start date
Miracle mud is more of a gimmick than anything, IME. I don't really recommend a sand substrate in that small of a container. You can use rock rubble to provide adequate places for various types of 'pods, though. I suggest a different macroalga than Caulerpa, however. Chaetomorpha is one of the best. There are also more decorative species available, like Graciliaria, etc.--all of which are a nice addition and are still better alternatives to caulerpa. Just be sure to provide strong lighting, preferably as intense as will be practical to your application for the best results. Of course, the last recommendation assumes you want to maximize algal growth and nutrient uptake. It should also encourage plenty of 'pod production.
if you have space for a fuge, you should consider a diy project. If not, I'd go for the one you linked. Obviously the bigger the better, however, if you're limited in space, this type of setup will help. Also agree with Amphi.
In the hangon fuge, I'd put very little sand (1/2" or so), some rock rubble, and chaeto (with some lighting)
In the hangon fuge, I'd put very little sand (1/2" or so), some rock rubble, and chaeto (with some lighting)
If that is all you have room for, it should do what you want. I feel those are rather pricey though for what they are. If you have room above your tank, you could always do an above tank refugium. That would be a small DIY project as well, but not particularly difficult and would require less of a pump than if you were to build a refugium to go under your tank.
i don't have space for a fuge so i can't have one. and space is very limited so i can only get a small hang on the back fuge. out of curiosity why only put 1/2" of sand? i was going to put a dsb. i am getting a deal from a person that i know and he is giving me a fuge with a built in protein skimmer for cheap so i decided to get it. it is reated for a 55 gallon tank. i already have a protein skimmer that is rated for a 60 gallon tank. so the two protein skimmer together will make it for a 115 gallon tank. do yout think that will be too much skimming for the tank? do you think the more the protein skimmer is rated for gallons the better? like i don't have a 115 gallon tank it's only a 60 gallon tank. so i will be over 55 gallons in skimming. what do you guys think? i am also going to buy a refugium light that is going to have a total of 24 watts. oh yeah and the fuge dimensions are 14"x4"x13.5"
If you had a larger fuge, I'd prob. suggest a dsb. From doing research, I've learned that for a proper dsb, you'd need a sandbed of about 6-7". Considering the size of the fuge you'll be adding, I think you'll benefit more by stuffing it with rock rubble and chaeto.
Just my opinion though, I could be wrong.
That and you'd be limited in surface area, which is a big deciding factor for DSBs. Tanks with sand and very small footprints will have less diversity. What adds to this complication is that most DSB infauna like to avoid corners, so chop off more sq. inches. When you look at what you have left, there isn't much. To have a healthy, long lasting DSB, it's going to be extremely difficult to work with a small footprint. So definitely avoid any DSBs with a container with little surface area.
