Biopellets & Refugium

[skyrye7]

Has anyone successfully run an aquarium with biopellets and a refugium?

I read somewhere that the fuge would likely wither away and die as the bacteria would rob the algae of all the nutrients.

[downbeach]

I took my fuge off line when I added the pellets. I thought that it would be counter-productive since essentially, they would be competing for the same nutrients.

[bertoni]

Well, a lot depends on what you want your refugium to do, and what's in it. A macroalgae area might wither away, but a live rock area for growing small animals might be a good addition, even with bio-pellets.

[galkito]

I got biopellets running for about 4-5 months. Recently I came up with the idea of having a refugium as well. So I got about 3 kilos of liverock, some chaeto, pods and started my refugium. It is actually in the sump before the section with the pellets and skimmer. The reason I want the refugium is to use less pellets in a form of "hybrid" method. Because after I started using the pellets, I got cyano. I didn't have it before and it looks that it has come to stay. All parameters are fine. Lights are brand new but still can't get rid of it.
I started this almost a month ago, and the chaeto seems to grow. I have the lights in the refugium running 24/7.