Is my refugium useless?

[steevareno]

I have the largest sump made by amiricle on my 150 that i use as a sump/refugium. I was told that having macro algea(cheato) in the second chamber of the sump is useless. Why is this any different than having say a 10 gallon tank seperate from the sump with macro algea in that? The second chamber gets low flow, i have a 65 watt LOA above it that is on reverse cycle. Can or should i add rock rubble and sand beneath the cheato? I have it sectioned off so nothing gets to the return pump. Am i wasting my time or am i getting the benfits of a "true" refugium? I have frag plugs in the area and i've seen lot's of little critters swimming around in there.

 

[Chris A.]

Cheato loves flow.that would be the only flaw in that set-up,other then that if it's growing it's pulling nutrients out of the water.

 

[steevareno]

I was thinking of adding a small powerhead to get more flow in there. For one, so i can keep detritus in suspension and have more flow around and through the cheato. I haven't seen any growth so far, so i am guessing your right that i need more flow. Also I may need to add iron.

 

[Armando]

it takes a while for the chaeto to start growing after you put it in the fuge. how long ago have you started it?

 

[steevareno]

about 6 weeks ago.

 

[Armando]

give it a little more time and it should start growing. higher flow in the refugium would help. putting the light closer to the macro also helps.

 

[nitrofish]

as long as you have light, flow, and decent water turnover (bad water goes in , good water goes out) then I can't see why this wouldn't work.

 

[steevareno]

the light is as close as it can get. As far as water in and out i'm not sure. Who else uses their sump as a fuge?????????

 

[nitrofish]

the light is as close as it can get. As far as water in and out i'm not sure. Who else uses their sump as a fuge?????????

I do, but it was built for that purpose. it has the water draining from the tank into the first chamber which is filled with chaeto, then from there it goes to a frag section, then the last section is the returns to the tank.

 

[steevareno]

I have my skimmers in the first chamber and cheato in the second. Maybe i should switch them or add a powerhead pointing from 1 corner to the other where the cheato is now.

 

[nitrofish]

mine is in reverse of your setup. im not sure if it really makes a difference.

 

[RichConley]

skimmer then chaeto. Theres no sense in feeding the chaeto the stuff you can skim out...it'll just get stuck in the chaeto and be gross. Most people who say that sump/fuge combinations are useless are of the oppinion that microfauna wont make it back through your pump.

I happen to think they do..theyre tiny, and I often have mysis I've fed go from tank to sump to tank, and they dont get chopped up too bad.

 

[steevareno]

That's good news....Thanks!!!!!