Refugium Care

sequential · 03/07/2006, 02:18 PM

I have a Large CPR AquaFuge. I've recently set it up again with 4" of LS, 10 - 15 lbs of LR, 1 Zebra Snail, 1 Astraea Snail, 5 Nassarius Snails, and 4 tiny Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs. Some Chaetomorpha Algae and Caulerpa have been introduced and appear to have taken root. I have also added my Electric Flame Scallop to see if I can better care for him. I've been using nearly 40W of light on the opposite schedule I light the display.

After the first night, I noticed a green microalgae on the sides of the refugium. After several days, the refugium had grown mostly opaque and the display tank's glass was also getting a heavier than normal amount of growth. Last night, while observing the variety of pods growing in my fuge, I noticed brown diatom algae as well.

At that point, it dawned on me that I was giving the fuge too much light, so I have started a several day regimen of giving the fuge access to only day light to see if the problem is solved.

My questions are:

1) How much light do you give your refugium on a daily basis?

2) What kind of clean up crew do you have in your LS refugium?

3) What kind of effort do you make to minimize microalgae growth? (What do you do? How often?)

4) For other Large CPR AquaFuge owners, how much flow do you have in yours? Is an AquaClear 20 enough? I'm definitely not seeing the entire output, considering the design of the intake (vertical intake of at least six inches).

Thanks for your thoughts.

YoungReefer06 · 03/07/2006, 02:30 PM

I have the large CPR fuge also.

It is on my 125g tank and I have a double tube 24 inch standard flouresent light on it, thats 40 watts. The light comes on two hours before the main lights go off and the light goes off two hours after the main lights go off.

It has cheato and red graciliria algae in it. I have a 4 inch deep layer of Miracle Mud on the bottom of it.

I do not have any clean up crew on mine. I definatly would not add any hermits to there because they could pose a risk to my pods, which is the main reason for my fuge, which is to create food for my mandrian.

I let any algae or whatever grow in the fuge, because it is better to grow there then in my main tank.

I am not sure what you mean about how much flow mine has...I just have the powerhead that came with the unit feed water to it and then it flows out the output. I dont have any powerheads inside of the fuge if that is what you are talking about.

-Kyle

sequential · 03/07/2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by YoungReefer06
I am not sure what you mean about how much flow mine has...

I don't have the original powerhead. I purchased an AC20 to replace it.

jcm1229 · 03/10/2006, 03:50 PM

Why do the walls of my aquafuge get so disgusting, but my main tank doesn't?

I have a 5.5 g nano and a 12 inch aquafuge hanging off the back. The 5.5 has LR, LS and a few corals and the aquafuge has LS, a few pieces of LR rubble and some chaeto. Flow through the aquafuge is via the standard pump. Flow through the 5.5 is via a small hang on filter. The aquafuge is lit by a 10k bulb and the 5.5 is lit via a 50/50 bulb. I occasionally clean the front glass of the 5.5.

I have nothing but a bit of corraline on the sides and back of the 5.5, but there is nasty looking brown and green algae on all sides of the aquafuge.

Just curious why all of it is confined to the aquafuge? It may not be worth it if I have to take it off line every 6-8 weeks and thoroghly clean it - or maybe I'll run it with nothing in it or light - just for the added water volume.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

YoungReefer06 · 03/10/2006, 08:27 PM

Keep the algae in the fuge, you dont have to take the fuge off-line to clean it, Algae helps remove nuitients wheter its macro or micro algae. Plus is supports pod growth.

I have a nice thick layer of green hair algae on the sides of my fuge and its teeming ith pods. I also have cheato red gracilairia and mangroves in there. The algae groeth is nothing to worry about. It is more benefical then it is harmful.

-Kyle

mmotown · 03/12/2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by YoungReefer06
Keep the algae in the fuge, you dont have to take the fuge off-line to clean it, Algae helps remove nuitients wheter its macro or micro algae. Plus is supports pod growth.

I have a nice thick layer of green hair algae on the sides of my fuge and its teeming ith pods. I also have cheato red gracilairia and mangroves in there. The algae groeth is nothing to worry about. It is more benefical then it is harmful.

-Kyle

So you're saying that whatever type of algae I have growing in my fuge is fine? My main display is algae free.

jcm1229 · 03/13/2006, 08:58 AM

My main display is pretty much algae free, but the hair etc ... that covers the side walls of the aquafuge is almost free flowing and I don't want it to enter my display tank.

03/07/2006, 02:18 PM	#1
sequential Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 266	Refugium Care I have a Large CPR AquaFuge. I've recently set it up again with 4" of LS, 10 - 15 lbs of LR, 1 Zebra Snail, 1 Astraea Snail, 5 Nassarius Snails, and 4 tiny Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs. Some Chaetomorpha Algae and Caulerpa have been introduced and appear to have taken root. I have also added my Electric Flame Scallop to see if I can better care for him. I've been using nearly 40W of light on the opposite schedule I light the display. After the first night, I noticed a green microalgae on the sides of the refugium. After several days, the refugium had grown mostly opaque and the display tank's glass was also getting a heavier than normal amount of growth. Last night, while observing the variety of pods growing in my fuge, I noticed brown diatom algae as well. At that point, it dawned on me that I was giving the fuge too much light, so I have started a several day regimen of giving the fuge access to only day light to see if the problem is solved. My questions are: 1) How much light do you give your refugium on a daily basis? 2) What kind of clean up crew do you have in your LS refugium? 3) What kind of effort do you make to minimize microalgae growth? (What do you do? How often?) 4) For other Large CPR AquaFuge owners, how much flow do you have in yours? Is an AquaClear 20 enough? I'm definitely not seeing the entire output, considering the design of the intake (vertical intake of at least six inches). Thanks for your thoughts.

03/10/2006, 03:50 PM	#4
jcm1229 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Park Ridge, IL Posts: 1,780	excess algae growth on walls of aquafuge Why do the walls of my aquafuge get so disgusting, but my main tank doesn't? I have a 5.5 g nano and a 12 inch aquafuge hanging off the back. The 5.5 has LR, LS and a few corals and the aquafuge has LS, a few pieces of LR rubble and some chaeto. Flow through the aquafuge is via the standard pump. Flow through the 5.5 is via a small hang on filter. The aquafuge is lit by a 10k bulb and the 5.5 is lit via a 50/50 bulb. I occasionally clean the front glass of the 5.5. I have nothing but a bit of corraline on the sides and back of the 5.5, but there is nasty looking brown and green algae on all sides of the aquafuge. Just curious why all of it is confined to the aquafuge? It may not be worth it if I have to take it off line every 6-8 weeks and thoroghly clean it - or maybe I'll run it with nothing in it or light - just for the added water volume. Thoughts? Thanks!

03/07/2006, 02:30 PM	#2
YoungReefer06 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Eastern Shore Posts: 285	I have the large CPR fuge also. It is on my 125g tank and I have a double tube 24 inch standard flouresent light on it, thats 40 watts. The light comes on two hours before the main lights go off and the light goes off two hours after the main lights go off. It has cheato and red graciliria algae in it. I have a 4 inch deep layer of Miracle Mud on the bottom of it. I do not have any clean up crew on mine. I definatly would not add any hermits to there because they could pose a risk to my pods, which is the main reason for my fuge, which is to create food for my mandrian. I let any algae or whatever grow in the fuge, because it is better to grow there then in my main tank. I am not sure what you mean about how much flow mine has...I just have the powerhead that came with the unit feed water to it and then it flows out the output. I dont have any powerheads inside of the fuge if that is what you are talking about. -Kyle

03/10/2006, 08:27 PM	#5
YoungReefer06 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Eastern Shore Posts: 285	Keep the algae in the fuge, you dont have to take the fuge off-line to clean it, Algae helps remove nuitients wheter its macro or micro algae. Plus is supports pod growth. I have a nice thick layer of green hair algae on the sides of my fuge and its teeming ith pods. I also have cheato red gracilairia and mangroves in there. The algae groeth is nothing to worry about. It is more benefical then it is harmful. -Kyle

03/13/2006, 08:58 AM	#7
jcm1229 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Park Ridge, IL Posts: 1,780	My main display is pretty much algae free, but the hair etc ... that covers the side walls of the aquafuge is almost free flowing and I don't want it to enter my display tank.