Help with my new Refugium!

mattpg36

mattpg36

New Member
I'm just getting my new refugium going and I need to know just a couple of things...
FIRST: How do I place the Chaetomorpha and the Gracilaria that I just got today? I have about 5 pounds of live rock and 1" of live sand. Do I "plant" it in the sand....or just let it float?
SECOND: What critters are safe to put in the refugium that won't eat my Chaetomorpha and Gracilaria?
BTW....its all in a 10 gallon sump/refugium for my 50 gallon display tank.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
kronnk7

kronnk7

Member
I just let mine float. If I was you I'd get another 5-10 lbs of LR too. You can put snails, starfish, and some small hermits in a refuge.
 
mattpg36

mattpg36

New Member
what type of starfish? and what type of snails?
i've heard that hermit crabs are not reef safe. Will they eat my macro algae?
I have a couple of Nassarius Vibex snails in their now as well as a peppermint shrimp. Are they okay to keep in there?
 
kronnk7

kronnk7

Member
Yeah I'd say they'd be ok. My hermits don't eat my reef, Nassy snails are perfect. Baby bristle stars would be cool. Make sure they are black ones, green and red can be predators.
 
fishcake

fishcake

Member
the gracilia will be extremely difficult to keep alive in your sump. It needs to tumble from lots of flow and needs very bright lighting... and if and when it dies, it will just release the absorbed nutriants back into your tank,Stick with the cheato.
 
murph145

murph145

Active Member
i run my refuge light on the opposite light cycle as my display tank
so my halides r on for 8 hours then my sump lights on for 16 hours then... i use a 42w flourecent screw in mogul style light that says to be the same as a 150w regualr bulb from HD that has a 6500k rating in a circle reflector i got from depot and it cost me about $14 and works as a great light the chaeto grows fast under this lighting
 
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