Refugium VS DIY Chaeto Reactor VS DIY Algae Turf Scrubber for a 160 gallon tank

[Wasabiroot]

As far as I know, they are all good until they get too big. Do you think they can go from the refugium to the display tank? Also I want to keep frags in the refugium when newly fragged how can I keep it here then?

I think you are overthinking the pest component. If it's in your sump it's probably in your display or overflow. Just ensure that nothing gets to plague proportions and you will be fine.

If you want to run a frag rack in your sump, it will be challenging to do in the same chamber as the algae. The lighting would probably be different and they'd both be competing for space. Possible but I'd use a separate chamber

 

[Wasabiroot]

What if I use an airline? Will the bubbles move the chaeto?

Theoretically, but just rotating the chaeto works as well. I would think you'd need a fair amount of CFM to produce enough bubbles to move your chaeto in a large tank.

 

[Borat]

Haha I am just worried that they can grow too big and bother the fish and corals.

Nah, al of those hide during the day and only come out at night.. they dont bother any living thing in a reef but would eat anything that is not live..

 

[reefinginBD]

I think you are overthinking the pest component. If it's in your sump it's probably in your display or overflow. Just ensure that nothing gets to plague proportions and you will be fine.

If you want to run a frag rack in your sump, it will be challenging to do in the same chamber as the algae. The lighting would probably be different and they'd both be competing for space. Possible but I'd use a separate chamber

Ah I see. Do you think I can plumb a small tank and use that as a drag tank on top of the sump?

 

[reefinginBD]

Nah, al of those hide during the day and only come out at night.. they dont bother any living thing in a reef but would eat anything that is not live..

Okie! Thanks a lot!

 

[Wasabiroot]

Ah I see. Do you think I can plumb a small tank and use that as a drag tank on top of the sump?

I don't see why not. Just be conscious of light spill. Any light down there will grow algae in unintentional areas that it hits

 

[reefinginBD]

I don't see why not. Just be conscious of light spill. Any light down there will grow algae in unintentional areas that it hits

I see thanks! If I do make a small drag tank then I’ll just colour all the sides of the tank except for the front side and then use it. This will limit the light spill and I’ll be able to see the corals.

 

[Mark Novack]

A reactor is just a refugium in a can. It contains the light, the algae and all the pods in a container. Mine is 22 liters. I cannot think of any reason why one method would produce more pods or pass more larvae or eat more nitrate and phosphate than the other. When I clean the cannister its a crawling mass and the slow algae growth is consistent with the low nutrients. I opened the bypass a few turns on my roller filter yesterday. I'll be interested to see if there is a difference in growth in the can.