setting up fuge what do you use for plants

[rogerwilco357]

what plant life is most commonly used for a refugium? Should mud be used also ?any intel is appreciated
Roger

[falconut]

I have a 4" thick layer of fine sand in mine I use Chaeto as my main algae, but I do have a few Mangrove plants and a Gracilara type alge. The Mangroves are really slow growers, so I wouldn't bother with them again. The Gracilara grows nice, but not as quick as the Chaeto. So, if it's just for nutrient export, probably go with Chaeto. If your looking for a feeding algae then the Gracilara might be worth a try.

Also, I was having an issue with growing the algae a few months ago. I found out it was the bulb. I'm using a standard 100 Watt CFL the is 6500K and it's growing great. /this is over my 20 gallon refuge and in a clamp light about 4" above the water surface. Hope this helps.

[steyely]

I just run chaeto with some live rock rubble on the bottom, no sand. I've had it going for about the past 8 months and haven't had any issues. One neat tip I read was if you are going to use a deep sand bed you can house it in a container so it's easier to clean your sump or remove it should something happen down the road. Sometimes your LFS may be willing to just give you some extra chaeto. If not you can generally find someone who will gladly give you their trimmings.

[falconut]

Oh, I forgot, I do have some LR rubble in mine too.