Refugium question

[Brian Mountain]

newbie questions:
How do you set up a refugium, step by step?
What maintenance needs to be done?
How long do you run a light on it each night?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hi Brian.
Check these out first, and then well talk about how to do it for a lot less cash and the other options

Basic refugium. Chato in sump with 5600k light opposite DT schedule.

 

[ZJedi945]

Here you go, the video I used a few years ago. NewYorkSteelo - How to Setup a Sump Refugium

 

[Brian Mountain]

Hi Brian.
Check these out first, and then well talk about how to do it for a lot less cash and the other options

Basic refugium. Chato in sump with 5600k light opposite DT schedule.

So if running my DT lights for 7 hours a day, I want my five light running 17, or just part of that time?

 

[Mark75]

I like some live rock rubble or matrix type material in my refuge for pod reproduction and I typically like less than normal amounts of live rock in the display so this give me more surface area for bacteria.

 

[Brian Mountain]

Here you go, the video I used a few years ago. NewYorkSteelo - How to Setup a Sump Refugium

Yep, I've seen this one. It's really good. Do you just put your algae in there and leave it alone? Lights on every hour opposite of DT? Do anything else to it? I seemed to get a lot of "junk" growing on walls and sand and algae just died off.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

So if running my DT lights for 7 hours a day, I want my five light running 17, or just part of that time?

probably just part of that time. 7 hours seems like a really short photoperiod.

 

[Brian Mountain]

I like some live rock rubble or matrix type material in my refuge for pod reproduction and I typically like less than normal amounts of live rock in the display so this give me more surface area for bacteria.

Do you put any pods in there or do they just come naturally?

 

[Brian Mountain]

probably just part of that time. 7 hours seems like a really short photoperiod.

How long do you suggest running DT lights? Was worried about having on too long.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yep, I've seen this one. It's really good. Do you just put your algae in there and leave it alone? Lights on every hour opposite of DT? Do anything else to it? I seemed to get a lot of "junk" growing on walls and sand and algae just died off.

you do need good flow in the fuge. Also its not a good idea to run gfo and other nutrient reducers.

pods come naturally but you can seed them too.

 

[Brian Mountain]

you do need good flow in the fuge. Also its not a good idea to run gfo and other nutrient reducers.

pods come naturally but you can seed them too.

Ok. Thx. May get a something small to circulate some.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How long do you suggest running DT lights? Was worried about having on too long.

depending on the type of lights I run mine like a summer day. The leds are low powered so they are on low and ramp from 6 till 9 am. on the other end they ramp down from 6 till 10. the peak is somewhere in the middle.
basically a 12hr day. (little longer actually, but so is the sun in the summer. Im more concerned with intensity. and a good night no light period.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

what lights are you running?

 

[Brian Mountain]

what lights are you running?

Ocean Revive Arctic-T247 40blue 20 full

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

you might want to consider a longer ramp and keep the peak the same. IMO itll balance minor the ph swing and I think the corals will benefit too. Plus youll get to see them before work and long into the night.

 

[Live Water]

Yep, I've seen this one. It's really good. Do you just put your algae in there and leave it alone? Lights on every hour opposite of DT? Do anything else to it? I seemed to get a lot of "junk" growing on walls and sand and algae just died off.

You need nitrates present in the tank to support micro/macro dosing iron helps as well

 

[Live Water]

you might want to consider a longer ramp and keep the peak the same. IMO itll balance minor the ph swing and I think the corals will benefit too. Plus youll get to see them before work and long into the night.

I run mine 24/7

 

[Live Water]

I run mine 24/7

But prob wont on my new 180 due to the fuge being visible on top of the tank