Do I want sand in my regugiem?

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

I'm reading nixed reviews on weather or not I should have sand in my refugium. I'm planning on growing chaeto, and pods, and I assumed that sand was an obvious addition to the sump refugium. I will be running an Eshopps 800 overflow, and am still deciding on a return pump that will be sufficient. I know I'll be getting a lot of opinions on this but would like the input...Thanks everyone...

55 Gallon DT 30 gallon sump/refugium.

[thegrun]

You will get mixed opinions. I go bare bottom with just live rock and macro algae in my refugium for easy cleaning, but some organisms like sand, so both have pluses and minuses.

[Ryanrttu]

Just because I watched this yesterday, Mr. Saltwater tank likes to use no sand or mud. Take it for what its worth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIqmnMLQCrY&feature=kp

[ca1ore]

I have two refugiums on my tank, one with sand and one without. Clearly I am unable to decide :lol:

[JMorris271]

Just because I watched this yesterday, Mr. Saltwater tank likes to use no sand or mud. Take it for what its worth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIqmnMLQCrY&feature=kp

You beat me to posting this post. :lol::lol:

Basically his gist is there is a diminishing return for the effort.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've done it both ways and saw no detectable differences for my system. Right now the bottom probably has a thick layer of detritus, but luckily I cannot see it under the rocks. :D

[Sk8r]

I use a sand and rock fuge. With a lot of moss.

[Spar]

my DT is bare bottom, but I have a 1" bed of sand in my refugium. plus a medium sized live rock piece. i keep a mantis shrimp in my refugium... im sure he kills off pods regularly, but is a cool little dude. he has made a tunnel through the sand under the rock.

[dragonfly1972]

I run an inch of sand in my refugium. Some of my macro roots in sand and I have plenty of bugs and worms in it.

[maddmaxx]

i always ran sand bed in my fuges cause for me it simply adds surface area for beneficial bacteria to populate..

[Stolireef]

I just like to look at the critters in the sand.

[droog]

I'm reading nixed reviews on weather or not I should have sand in my refugium. I'm planning on growing chaeto, and pods, and I assumed that sand was an obvious addition to the sump refugium. I will be running an Eshopps 800 overflow, and am still deciding on a return pump that will be sufficient. I know I'll be getting a lot of opinions on this but would like the input...Thanks everyone...

55 Gallon DT 30 gallon sump/refugium.

I'm thinking of doing something very similar. ~35g Fugue (Eshops overflow) on a 100g DT. I was assuming sandbed - even deep sand bed was the way to go. Or even one of the "miracle mud" the products. Though mud products seem out of favour, but I assume they would help kick start the fugue population.

Is there a danger of starting a cycle when pluming in a new fugue to a running system this way?

My goal in adding the fugue is to grow macro algae, pods for DT and limit PH swings. I could possible do a "display" fugue or use the chiller compartment in the DT stand. The chiller compartment is at the same level as my sump, and the sump has a very high side-wall, so plumbing a tank in there via shops overflow may be tricky. The display fugue would be easier... anyone have pics of display fugues? Can they be setup to look cool?

-droog

[dragonfly1972]

Here is mine. 20 gal.
I just weeded out my macro pretty heavy. I have 7 different macros, 4 peppermints, an LTA and baby clown, Xenia and a billion mini brittles, bugs and worms.
Sorry for the crappy old iPhone pic
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/06/age4eny5.jpg