Adding Bio Spira with refugium

[lines_michael]

I just added a refugium (25.5 x 4.5x 16) to my 75 Gallon "soon to be" reef tank. Right now it has 9 fish and two corals, hermits crabs, etc.. I am almost done battling red moss like algae that was spreading by doing a ton of water changes this past week to get my nitrates and phosphates down. I have mangroves for the refugium that are acclimating right now to assist with the nitrates and phosphates.

I put live sand into the refugium about 3.5 inches deep and wondered if I should add the pouch of Bio Spira I have in my fridge to help build up the bacteria in the refugium.

Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: almost 0
Nitrates: just under 20 and dropping
Phosphates: just under .25 and dropping
pH: 8.2
temp: 78.5

Questions:

1. Should I add the Bio-Spira to the refugium?

2. Is it ok to put a small live rock in the refugium that has some macroalgae on it. Small little light green hairs, a little left of the red moss algae and some corraline? Or should I scrub off the "bad" algae before putting it in the refugium?

[bertoni]

I don't think the BioSpira is going to do anything, but I don't think it's going to hurt anything, either. If you don't want the macroalgae growing anywhere in the system, it's best to remove it now, in my opinion.

[TekCat]

Agree on useleness of bio-spira. You already have enough bacteria if ammonia is not showing up.

Mangroves are not the most efficient way to export nitrates/phosphates. As far as other macro algae, I'd get some chaeto, and get rid of unknown algaes on rocks.