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Value of a refugium
What is a refugium, and does it hold any value in a reef tank or FOWLR? Do you have a refugium, have plans for a refugium, have no desire for a refugium, or have lots of questions about a refugium?
What is a refugium? A refugium is a chamber (whether incorporated in a sump, or as a stand alone container) plumbed into a closed aquarium system. This chamber can consist of a variety of components, and is generally utilized to help with the control of nutrients to achieve stable water parameters reducing nitrates and phosphates through natural methods. Refugiums can be used in conjunction with a skimmer or without, but it is generally agreed that they can be used together to achieve the results we desire. It is proposed that having the skimmer ahead of the refugium is best. However in our Red Sea systems the sump layouts have the refugiums located prior to the skimmer chambers. The reason combining the two has benefits as skimmers remove organic waste before it breaks down to generate nitrates and phosphates, while a refugium aides in breaking down the organic waste while the selection of components we add to them convert those nutrients allowing us to remove them from the system through routine maintenance.
So what does a healthy refugium look like, and what components should they contain? The base to a refugium should consist of mud, sand, live rock or rubble, or a combination of these. These components allow the creation of anaerobic areas allowing the completion of the nitrogen cycle reducing nitrates to its base molecules of nitrogen gas and oxygen which dissipates out of the water column.
Another component found in refugiums is macro algae powered by an appropriate grow light. The macro algae serves at least two purposes. First as it grows it consumes nitrates and phosphates which are then removed from the system during routine maintenance allowing for regrows removing even more. A secondary purpose of the macro algae as well as live rock and or rubble, provides the perfect environment for propagation of invertebrates like mysis shrimp, amphipods and copepods away from other tank inhabitants avoiding predation. These invertebrates add another level of nutrient control as they consume nuisance algae, detritus and uneaten foods. This also allows for these invertebrates to travel through the entire aquarium providing a constant live food source and micro CUC (Clean Up Crew).
This brings us to the final component, which is the addition of these various invertebrates. We have thriving populations of mysis, amphipods and copepods in our refugium apparently coexisting as we find an assortment of each during our macro algae harvests. Dosing live phytoplankton directly to the refugium, or even to the DT has been shown to improve pod health, reproduction, and growth. Another invert that we often find in our fuge is bristle worms. These are great scavengers, although often met with different opinions. Some consider them gross, even if they agree that they are excellent detrivores, while others accept them with open arms (or at least don’t attempt to remove them from their systems).
Join this discussion with your thoughts, experiences, successes and failures to help others in our community to determine if a refugium is right for them.
What macro algae have you found to be the best or easiest?
Which substrate has worked the best for you? Mud, sand, rock/rubble, or a combination?
Which invertebrates have you added? Bristle worms, copepods, amphipods, mysis? Which have you seen colonize with long term survival?
At https://reefbysteele.com/ we are dedicated to providing you with the information you need to reef successfully, and offer the best quality products at the lowest possible prices to help you achieve those goals.
What is a refugium, and does it hold any value in a reef tank or FOWLR? Do you have a refugium, have plans for a refugium, have no desire for a refugium, or have lots of questions about a refugium?
What is a refugium? A refugium is a chamber (whether incorporated in a sump, or as a stand alone container) plumbed into a closed aquarium system. This chamber can consist of a variety of components, and is generally utilized to help with the control of nutrients to achieve stable water parameters reducing nitrates and phosphates through natural methods. Refugiums can be used in conjunction with a skimmer or without, but it is generally agreed that they can be used together to achieve the results we desire. It is proposed that having the skimmer ahead of the refugium is best. However in our Red Sea systems the sump layouts have the refugiums located prior to the skimmer chambers. The reason combining the two has benefits as skimmers remove organic waste before it breaks down to generate nitrates and phosphates, while a refugium aides in breaking down the organic waste while the selection of components we add to them convert those nutrients allowing us to remove them from the system through routine maintenance.
So what does a healthy refugium look like, and what components should they contain? The base to a refugium should consist of mud, sand, live rock or rubble, or a combination of these. These components allow the creation of anaerobic areas allowing the completion of the nitrogen cycle reducing nitrates to its base molecules of nitrogen gas and oxygen which dissipates out of the water column.
Another component found in refugiums is macro algae powered by an appropriate grow light. The macro algae serves at least two purposes. First as it grows it consumes nitrates and phosphates which are then removed from the system during routine maintenance allowing for regrows removing even more. A secondary purpose of the macro algae as well as live rock and or rubble, provides the perfect environment for propagation of invertebrates like mysis shrimp, amphipods and copepods away from other tank inhabitants avoiding predation. These invertebrates add another level of nutrient control as they consume nuisance algae, detritus and uneaten foods. This also allows for these invertebrates to travel through the entire aquarium providing a constant live food source and micro CUC (Clean Up Crew).
This brings us to the final component, which is the addition of these various invertebrates. We have thriving populations of mysis, amphipods and copepods in our refugium apparently coexisting as we find an assortment of each during our macro algae harvests. Dosing live phytoplankton directly to the refugium, or even to the DT has been shown to improve pod health, reproduction, and growth. Another invert that we often find in our fuge is bristle worms. These are great scavengers, although often met with different opinions. Some consider them gross, even if they agree that they are excellent detrivores, while others accept them with open arms (or at least don’t attempt to remove them from their systems).
Join this discussion with your thoughts, experiences, successes and failures to help others in our community to determine if a refugium is right for them.
What macro algae have you found to be the best or easiest?
Which substrate has worked the best for you? Mud, sand, rock/rubble, or a combination?
Which invertebrates have you added? Bristle worms, copepods, amphipods, mysis? Which have you seen colonize with long term survival?
At https://reefbysteele.com/ we are dedicated to providing you with the information you need to reef successfully, and offer the best quality products at the lowest possible prices to help you achieve those goals.
