Reef nutrition

Sandbed in refugium?

Alexander1312

Alexander1312

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I plan to set up a refugium; the remaining question is whether I should have a sandbed. I was planning to add a porous rock and thought this would be sufficient, but I read that a shallow sandbed (1 inch) would be preferable.

What are your thoughts?
 
If you run a remote sand bed. Make it a deep sand bed at least 4-6”. For any benefit. I’ve run a cryptic zone for years. I haven’t noticed any benefits from the cryptic zone. But who knows. I figured more rock the better.
But normally in a fuge. There’s no sand. Probably due to the lack of space
 
I skipped the sand (and most of the extra rock) in my fuge because Jake Adams said all that extra respirating bacteria puts downward pressure on PH. I don’t know if this is true or not but it makes a lot of sense and is something that has stuck with me.

There are a lot of successful tanks these days with minimal rock and sand. Leonardo’s Reef doesn’t run a single piece of live rock in his acro farm, FWIW. ‍
 
Thank you all for your feedback, which is super helpful!

My goals of my in sump refugium is to a) support nutrient export (post filter floss and skimmer), and b) provide a habitat to grow pods. A subordinate goal was to try growing nori for the tangs since this will be included in the refugium kit I ordered from http://ipsf.com/refugiumstartup.html.

It seems as if the sand has short term benefits but longer term issues, so this is something I will not add now. However, I thought the rock in the sump would be helpful for the pods to grow?

I still had a few follow on questions to some comments made above:

- @Darkxerox: Do we want corralline in the refugium? For the added rock?

- @SupraSaltyReefer: I saw algae barns had these bioblocks added to their refugium starter kits, but I belive this will be only needed if extra nitrate export is required? It was not fully clear to me why this would be in the refugium vs in other places in the sump.

- @archibaldsharper: Why only a single algae species?
 
My goals are similar to yours, minus growing nori. I have a bunch of small pieces of rock in the refugium with chaeto, and more recently a section for Sprung’s Burning Bush macroalgae. Works great. Just removed another basketball sized amount for nutrient export.
 
Alexander1312 said:
Thank you all for your feedback, which is super helpful!

My goals of my in sump refugium is to a) support nutrient export (post filter floss and skimmer), and b) provide a habitat to grow pods. A subordinate goal was to try growing nori for the tangs since this will be included in the refugium kit I ordered from http://ipsf.com/refugiumstartup.html.

It seems as if the sand has short term benefits but longer term issues, so this is something I will not add now. However, I thought the rock in the sump would be helpful for the pods to grow?

I still had a few follow on questions to some comments made above:

- @Darkxerox: Do we want corralline in the refugium? For the added rock?

- @SupraSaltyReefer: I saw algae barns had these bioblocks added to their refugium starter kits, but I belive this will be only needed if extra nitrate export is required? It was not fully clear to me why this would be in the refugium vs in other places in the sump.

- @archibaldsharper: Why only a single algae species?
Click to expand...
I just like to get the plugs and rubble to start getting coverage since it can keep algae at bay while the frags grow. Unlikely like you'll get full coverage, but it provides another habitat for crustaceans.
 
Alexander1312 said:
Thank you all for your feedback, which is super helpful!

My goals of my in sump refugium is to a) support nutrient export (post filter floss and skimmer), and b) provide a habitat to grow pods. A subordinate goal was to try growing nori for the tangs since this will be included in the refugium kit I ordered from http://ipsf.com/refugiumstartup.html.

It seems as if the sand has short term benefits but longer term issues, so this is something I will not add now. However, I thought the rock in the sump would be helpful for the pods to grow?

I still had a few follow on questions to some comments made above:

- @Darkxerox: Do we want corralline in the refugium? For the added rock?

- @SupraSaltyReefer: I saw algae barns had these bioblocks added to their refugium starter kits, but I belive this will be only needed if extra nitrate export is required? It was not fully clear to me why this would be in the refugium vs in other places in the sump.

- @archibaldsharper: Why only a single algae species?
Click to expand...
Why only a single algae species

To focus on the needs of one species, so it grows fast and experts a lot of nutrients. As opposed to managing one algae from overgrowing the other.

Each of the algae need different conditions to maximize their growth - lighting, flow, micro nutrients. Generally I end up feeding the algae nitrogen and iron to try and keep up with phosphates. But each system is different.

With the pack you ordered I would use some larger rubble like the extra course calcium reactor media or little larger maybe fist sized. Both for the caulerpa holdfasts(roots) and for worms. The larger size is so you can pick it up and siphon out detritus. Once the algae starts to take off you have plenty of space within it for pods particularly chaeto.
 
Alexander1312 said:
Thank you all for your feedback, which is super helpful!

My goals of my in sump refugium is to a) support nutrient export (post filter floss and skimmer), and b) provide a habitat to grow pods. A subordinate goal was to try growing nori for the tangs since this will be included in the refugium kit I ordered from http://ipsf.com/refugiumstartup.html.

It seems as if the sand has short term benefits but longer term issues, so this is something I will not add now. However, I thought the rock in the sump would be helpful for the pods to grow?

I still had a few follow on questions to some comments made above:

- @Darkxerox: Do we want corralline in the refugium? For the added rock?

- @SupraSaltyReefer: I saw algae barns had these bioblocks added to their refugium starter kits, but I belive this will be only needed if extra nitrate export is required? It was not fully clear to me why this would be in the refugium vs in other places in the sump.

- @archibaldsharper: Why only a single algae species?
Click to expand...
I notice that algae pack includes Caulerpa. Caulerpa is illegal in California because of its high risk to the local coastal ecosystem. If that company is selling it to you at a California address, they are opening themselves to legal risk. A fair number of people in the local hobby still have it but if you are serious about protecting our local environment, or if you prefer to follow good laws even when they won’t be enforced, you should not grow it.
 
JVU said:
I notice that algae pack includes Caulerpa. Caulerpa is illegal in California because of its high risk to the local coastal ecosystem. If that company is selling it to you at a California address, they are opening themselves to legal risk. A fair number of people in the local hobby still have it but if you are serious about protecting our local environment, or if you prefer to follow good laws even when they won’t be enforced, you should not grow it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for letting me know John. I have just reached out to them to make sure to not send this to me.
 
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JVU said:
I notice that algae pack includes Caulerpa. Caulerpa is illegal in California because of its high risk to the local coastal ecosystem. If that company is selling it to you at a California address, they are opening themselves to legal risk. A fair number of people in the local hobby still have it but if you are serious about protecting our local environment, or if you prefer to follow good laws even when they won’t be enforced, you should not grow it.
Click to expand...
Caulerpa.....
It was NOT a good idea
Once it took hold...i couldn’t get rid of it
I wish I had not
 
JVU said:
I notice that algae pack includes Caulerpa. Caulerpa is illegal in California because of its high risk to the local coastal ecosystem. If that company is selling it to you at a California address, they are opening themselves to legal risk. A fair number of people in the local hobby still have it but if you are serious about protecting our local environment, or if you prefer to follow good laws even when they won’t be enforced, you should not grow it.
Click to expand...
There are at least two varieties that are legal to import into CA. That's my understanding.
 
I just looked at that website
First I noticed it’s not secure
And we have all of these macro algae in the club
Please don’t pay for bristleworms!

My $0.02
Oh, and
Caulerpa BAD
 
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