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View Full Version : How do you create food from a Refugium?


ZoeReef
04/07/2006, 06:39 PM
What's the right way to do this... What would you add.. and what needs to be in the fuge to keep it going. Thanks for any help

aquawolf
04/07/2006, 10:28 PM
You need to have either live sand or live mud as the substrate. Then you can add some live rock to it and macro algae such as caulerpa or chaetomorphia. You need a way to provide it with low flowing current to keep it fresh but not enough to disturb the substrate. The copepods and amphipods will grow and multiply naturally in this area.

In order to feed your system with them, you need to have a way that they can "accidentally" fall into the return area or into your main display. You do not want them going into the skimmer section as this will more than likely kill them.

I think that is the short version and hope it helps you.

ZoeReef
04/07/2006, 11:39 PM
it does aqua. Is that the reason people use live mud? I've heard of it being used but never understood why. Thanks

aquawolf
04/07/2006, 11:49 PM
According to what I have read, the mud is supposed to basically leach out certain good minerals like magnesium, strontium, iodine and such into the refugium which then go into the water column and benefit the entire tank.

I don't have any practical experience with the mud. I am using a deep sand bed in my refugium.

Maybe someone else will chime in and give more information on the mud.

bertoni
04/08/2006, 02:10 PM
You don't really need a substrate or live rock in the refugium, necessarily. A macroalga or two will provide a lot of habitat. A thin layer of sand or live rock rubble would add habitat for a few different creatures. I feed phytoplankton to the tank, which helps increase the small animal population.

ZoeReef
04/08/2006, 08:58 PM
bertoni.. THANKS..always great to hear from a Mod. Life just got simpler.

When you say

A macroalga or two will provide a lot of habitat.

Is it sometimes beneficial to add several kinds of macroalga?

bertoni
04/08/2006, 09:15 PM
It might be beneficial to have more than one, but I don't really know any quantification of that guess. I use Halimeda, Caulerpa, and Chaetomorpha, and might try some Gracilaria next.