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icepick5587
07/12/2006, 07:48 PM
What do you recommend I use for substrate in my fuge? I've read a bunch of different things. Some say to use just fuge mud, but others say to use a real deep sand bed... with finer sand at the top and a more rough sand at the bottom. What would you recommend?
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 08:24 PM
bump
budjr8000
07/12/2006, 08:30 PM
use mirical mud not mineral mud they are the pritty much the same stuff buy mineral mud is the original and made my ecosystem the best thing i have ever found
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 08:39 PM
hmm
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 09:16 PM
Why use mud over sand? The chaeto doesn't dig down into the sand anyways. One advantage that I can see for a DSB is better nitrate removal.
newreefbishop
07/12/2006, 09:31 PM
i use 2 inch mineral mud and 3 inch live sand over it....stick 1 pound or two of Live Rock and my macroalgea has taken off.....not to mention no algea blooms....
drunktank
07/12/2006, 09:39 PM
dont use mud, it will have to be replaced 6-12months and gets to messy. Add a nice 4 in sand bed in ur refugium on argragate sand, same stuff u use in ur tank.
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 09:46 PM
Why do you have to replace mineral mud?

Also, if I were to put in a sand bed, would I have to cycle my refugium?
N_Sarno
07/12/2006, 09:54 PM
I just have a DSB I dont mess around w/ the mudddd
PRESTO2345
07/12/2006, 10:08 PM
My LFS uses all three in rubbermaid containers and has different beneficial algeas in each along with mangrove tree sprouts. They each have different benefits. Maybe you can do the same and divide your fuge?

Personally I would stay away from the mud....I'm just not a big fan of it.
msuzuki126
07/12/2006, 10:10 PM
My fuge is BB with just live rock rubble.
Aquabucket
07/12/2006, 10:23 PM
All the fuges I set up at the LFS I work for are BB with some large chunks of LR scattered about and ample amounts of chaeto. I find them to be very adequate at removing excess ortho-phosphate and nitrate.
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 10:34 PM
so the question now is, if i introduce freshly bought sand into my refugium while its running with my main tank, will it spur a nutrient spike because it still hasnt cycled yet?
Aquabucket
07/12/2006, 10:39 PM
No. Unless you are adding a bad batch of live sand which could become a source of ammonia.
icepick5587
07/12/2006, 10:42 PM
i added some crushed coral right after introducing the fuge and it spurred a nitrate spike. i'm a bit of a noob to live sand. what exactly qualifies as live sand?