Refugium Questions

[clowninaround74]

Just picked up a pair of dragon pipefish, and absolutely love them. They are really interesting fish and bring another different dynamic to the tank which I enjoy.

I did my research on these and had originally thought dosing pods (from Algaebarn) monthly would suffice. Starting to wonder if that will work, and am calculating the continued cost of this being very high in comparison to the fuge. I dose phyto regularly and have a good pod population, but a pair might eat through what I have quickly.

I have the capability of a refugium in my sump (eshopps r100), and have been tossing around the idea of staring one. I understand the denitrification benefits but am more interested in the pod production. I've never really ran a fuge, and have always went with skimming and carbon through my reactor which has been successful for me. Any pros and cons to setting this up?

Just ordered this light:

[url=http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=29013]Eshopps Curve Refugium LED Light: Aquarium Refugium Lighting

I do currently have my heater in this chamber (where the refugium would be) as well as my dosing lines drip into here. Does this pose any issues with chaeto? I also have a very small power head in there to mix up the dosing liquid when it enters the water.

I don't plan on running a DSB as I'm not really after the nutrient export but more of the pod population. I already have live rock in there which has been in the tank since day one. I vacuum out detritus during water changes too.

I guess my biggest concern is running the refugium with my carbon and stripping the tank of too many nutrients. My system is a mixed reef, but mainly SPS dominant so stability is my goal. Should this be taken offline? If so, how long after the fuge is set up.

Also, like I mentioned above, would it be harmful to have my heater and dosing lines in the same chamber as my micro algae?

Thank you!!

[berkeleyfish]

Sorry I don't have any answers to your above questions. I was wondering how you liked the eshopps refugium light. I was wondering if it was powerful enough to really help chaeto grow being only 9 watts total.

[acanlover]

I absolutely loved my dragon pipefish when I had one. Probably my favorite out of everything. As for stripping the nutrients, carbon is not what your concern should be. It's GFO that will really be stripping the nutrients of what the refugium plants need to grow. If you don't currently use GFO than you should be fine. If you do maybe cut back a little at a time and see how the refugium plants are growing to balance it out.

[Costanza]

I don't think you should have an issue starving out the macro unless you're already running a super low nutrient system. GFO will absorb phosphates, but there should be enough nitrates for the macro especially if it's only a small refuge.

[davocean]

Unless your fuge is pretty big I would not expect much for nutrient export, some, but not enough to strip the tank or anything.
I would definitely add one for what you need.
Pods and PH stability are the biggest benefits.

[ghbrewer]

Might check out this video from this year's MACNA: http://youtu.be/h39VK-tNK30