Live sand or mud in refugium?

[waterbourn]

Does live sand or mud do best in a refugium. Also what other things do people put in their refugium and how powerful should the lights be?
My sump is actually split into three compartments, but the water level is actually above all the baffles. The baffles should still hold the sand/mud in. Is the water level being above the baffles ok instead of trickling over each baffle?

 

[granny]

I dont have a refugium but there are several threads on here that will give you the answers you need.
My thoughts are that the refugium mud would be a better substrate. Live sand isnt necessary as your tank should already have active bacteria in it and the same water is running through your refugium from your tank-
Some people just load them up with Chaeto-others use caleurpa and Mangroves sold on line. A small light fixture with a plant gro bulb is all you need.

 

[sly]

I use a 40 watt flourescent bulb over my mangroves and it works well. Has for 2.5 years...

 

[granny]

Oh, the second part of your question. Yes, it is better if the water flows into each compartment completely before going to the next. There is more exposure-more 'washing/filtering-as the water flows into the refugium compartment then into the next one, rather than just washing over the top of all the compartments. Maybe you could raise the partition between the planted area and the final return compartment.

 

[mikeyjer]

Don't use miracle mud, they're investigating it right now. I just used bio-sediment on the bottom and aragonite over the top in the new refugium for the new tank. In my existing refugium for my 55g reef, I just use bio-sediment. :happyfish

 

[waterbourn]

Thanks for all of the replys..
Why are they investigating miracle mud?

 

[lazarus]

:notsure: i am also curious about this...i heard the miracle mud was truly miraculous. anybody know about this "investigation"
sounds like some "mud slinging" going on!

 

[mikeyjer]

I would post the link for you to look if I could....not suppose to on here.... :happyfish

 

[lazarus]

ok. something about miracle mud having an extraordinary high concentration of quartz crystals....

 

[sly]

Yea, I read that too about the quartz... Can anyone tell me why quarts would be a bad thing. I would think that it has no effect.
Btw, I googled "miracle mud" and clicked on the third link for the analysis. Interesting, but I'm not sure why there is this controversy over its use. It looks like good stuff. I wonder if my mangroves will grow in it.