Refugium SUbstrate

[bunzaroo]

I will be setting up a refugium style sump for my one year old tank. I plan on adding chaeto to control nitrates and also to increase my pod population. My question is what substrate to use. Live sand or the refugium mud that is sold. What are the benefits of each. thanks

[redfishsc]

None.

Save the money and buy a coral frag instead ;)

The chaeto needs no substrate, nor do most other macroalgae.


It's perfectly fine to use one of the refugium mud products, but I doubt they do anything as claimed (adding micronutrients at levels that matter).


You can also put in a pile of small-grade rock rubble from the live rock tanks at your LFS, would actually probably do more to seed the refugium with critters. Not to mention have a nice stash of frag rocks.

[therealfatman]

Considering the added possible associated problems of mud and deep sand beds I recommend only live rock rubble and a layer of sand no deeper than 2-1/2" or non at all in refugiums. I do recommend a small pump head to keep the chaeto tumbling but fairly small refugium inflow and outflow velocities to keep pods from being swept out of the refugium too much. I also recommend raw water be fed to the refugium as chaeto and other algaes can better take up nutrients prior to them be altered to nitrates.

[snorvich]

None. Possibly some live rock rubble.

[luther1200]

I used live sand. But only 2"-3". And I gravel vac it regularly like I do the DT.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15077002#post15077002 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by therealfatman
Considering the added possible associated problems of mud and deep sand beds I recommend only live rock rubble and a layer of sand no deeper than 2-1/2" or non at all in refugiums. I do recommend a small pump head to keep the chaeto tumbling but fairly small refugium inflow and outflow velocities to keep pods from being swept out of the refugium too much. I also recommend raw water be fed to the refugium as chaeto and other algaes can better take up nutrients prior to them be altered to nitrates.

+1--good post

adding:
the water from the refug should also return to the sump at the point closest to the return to the display and avoiding the skimmer.

a good combination is two refugiums in line--the first being a deep sand bed and the second being chaeto macro only(no substrate)