My new refugium

[srt8]

I added a 5.5 gallon refugium to my 20 gallon sump on my 75 gallon reef, I would of liked it to be bigger but hey,it fits under my stand and I'm sure it's better than nothing, that is where the chaeto is,before I only had a skimmer and filter sock and carbon,it was more work than it looks like and if you ever drill a 5.5 be very careful. Easy to crack.

 

[srt8]

Ok,just a quick bit of info,I read on a few forums where if you add a refugium that you don't really have to cycle it because basically your running your tank water through it.Although my refugium is small I have to differ because it did upset my balance,I noticed after a couple days my elegance coral and my Duncan's were not happy and closing up,my display tank started suffering a brown algae outbreak like the refugium was getting,and cloudy water and I'm assuming a slight nitrite spike happened, I unhooked the fuge yesterday and I'm just running a power head in it and heater for a few days,did a big water change in the display and added some chemi pure carbon, the elegance and Duncan's are looking like they may be starting to open back up. I can only guess the new sand in the fuge caused this as everything was good before adding the fuge into the mix.

 

[srt8]

Also the other LPS corals looked ok,it seems like the elegance and Duncan's are the first alerters in my tank when something is off

 

[flower]

I never heard of a refugium doing all that to disrupt everything. What kind of light do you have on the fuge? UNLESS...and this is just a guess...the bad algae breeds by spores, and the spores in the refugium was passed into the DT and there was already enough nitrate and phosphate in the system to feed it.

 

[srt8]

I'm only guessing as I have not had time to test,so I very well could be wrong,it just seems a couple days after I hooked up the fuge things kind of went a little off,it probably would not of killed anything but then again it may have,The fuge has a really strong light for its size,it is a ecoexotic panorama pro 12 inch white and blue,could too much light be a cause of the algae outbreak in the fuge? After I put that light on there green algae covered the glass and brown on the gravel within two days. I don't know I'm sure there is people with a lot more experience than me, the gravel was new aragonite that came with water in the bag and I added a cup of sand out of the display and put in a clump of chaeto and one small live rock

 

[srt8]

Oh, I forgot I also ran a phosphate sponge for a day after the issue arose

 

[sweatervest13]

Weird... In theory it should have been just fine. Brand new sand, new tank, and you seeded the sand from the DT sand. The cheato and the LR, did that also come from the current system? Or did you purchase it new? Was the LR cured?
If the algae started to grow fast, then you had excess nutrients in the system already (or something you added had an excess). But the appearance of the algae should mean that the excess nutrients are getting taken in by that algae. Your elegance and duncan corals were pretty good indicators that something was off in the tank. Good eye and probably not a bad idea to take the new fuge off line.
How did you plumb the refugium up to the sump??

 

[srt8]

I purchased the sand new,the live rock came out of my DT,about three or four days before I added the fuge I took out some of my live rock out of DT because I had too much rock and did not like the look,I only had room in the fuge for a small 2 to 3 pound at max piece but now that you mention the rock,it did sit in a container of water without heat or aeration for those four days in my basement that stays fairly warm.Maybe I had die off in the small piece of rock? The chaeto clump I purchased from the LFS. It is plumbed with a small pump in the first compartment of my sump up to the fuge then gravity fall back in the last compartment in the sump where it gets pumped through the DT by the main pump. I also built a small algae scrubber with a small flat piece of acrylic and screen that I was going to have the water that falls from the fuge run over on its way into the sump. But have not put it to use due to the fuge off line temporary

 

[srt8]

I think I may fall victim like most others on my elegance coral,it seems like it just won't open,and has some white slimey coat at times although it is still intact and has color,the Duncan's have re emerged with a couple new heads so maybe them both being closed up at the same time was a coincidence,and the elegance was falling victim to the unknown reason of demise,although I have not given up on it,I'm trying water changes,blowing the slime off and a pro Marin dip,wish me luck.

 

[srt8]

But it still points to maybe me upsetting the system by adding the refugium stressed something,I mean that's when it started,so I'm still trying to figure that one out

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SRT8 http:///t/394540/my-new-refugium#post_3512397
I purchased the sand new,the live rock came out of my DT,about three or four days before I added the fuge I took out some of my live rock out of DT because I had too much rock and did not like the look,I only had room in the fuge for a small 2 to 3 pound at max piece but now that you mention the rock,it did sit in a container of water without heat or aeration for those four days in my basement that stays fairly warm.Maybe I had die off in the small piece of rock? The chaeto clump I purchased from the LFS. It is plumbed with a small pump in the first compartment of my sump up to the fuge then gravity fall back in the last compartment in the sump where it gets pumped through the DT by the main pump. I also built a small algae scrubber with a small flat piece of acrylic and screen that I was going to have the water that falls from the fuge run over on its way into the sump. But have not put it to use due to the fuge off line temporary
I think that this may be the issue. I take it, it was salt water you put the LR in? But it was not heated and not circulated?? I would imagine that you had some die off, which caused a little ammonia spike.

 

[srt8]

Yes,it was salt water,although no heat or circulation,you are probably right about the spike,I sure did not think one small live rock would do that but I'm sure just a very small amount of ammonia would cause large issues.I can report the elegance is trying to recover, it was opened more and had color,no tissue loss,but the tentacles were practically a no show and still trying to rid it of the slime/dirt/waste it collected while closed completely.I hope it recovers,I really try to watch my tank very closely,my wife kind of thinks I'm obsessed,lol. I do notice when something is off right away though.If this elegance pulls through I will be happy,although I'm hoping for the best,I'm not going to get my hopes high yet just to be let down. I want to Thank everyone for the input and its always welcome and for putting up with some of my questions and mistakes,sometimes I jump into things too fast.

 

[srt8]

I'm still hopeful for the elegance, it is doing its best to recover,I got home from work and it actually looked a LITTLE better than the day before,and was opened slightly more than the day before,I moved it to a higher flow area to hopefully give it some help in ridding itself of the sticky mess it had accumulated,I'm HOPING when I get home today that I see some more improvement, even slight would keep my hopes up,I see no tissue loss, just not opening fully and most of tentacles not out,it does move though and respond to light and dark. Hoping I can save the critter!

 

[snakeblitz33]

I think that adding your fuge to the system was a coincidence...
Both duncans and elegance are sensitive to both salinity and alkalinity. Check both to be sure they are adequate for your corals... salinity anywhere between 1.024 and 1.026 and alkalinity between 8dKH and 10dKH. It's best to make sure it stays on a particular number as much as possible.... and doing water changes will definitely help bring your alkalinity up, but it's slow. If your alkalinity is low, consider Randy Holmes-Farley's 2 part recipe. Read up on it first, however.

 

[srt8]

Ok,I will check that out,Im going to do some water parameter testing after work today to see where I'm at.I need a refractometer too,all I have is a plastic salinity checker, the type you fill with water and the needle moves,and I'm thinking its not too accurate because I won another small plastic one in a drawing that has suction cups and can stay in the tank and they both give slightly different readings,I have never had a refractometer,what do you think of the digital salinity checkers?Trying to decide if they are ok or if I should purchase the refractometer

 

[sweatervest13]

I would just buy the refractometer. You should be able to pick one up locally for about $50- $60.
I would pay the extra money for a refractometer vs a Hydrometer just so I would not have to dunk the hydrometer into the tank and then have to rinse it out afterwards. LOL. Just a couple of drops on the glass of the refractometer close the lid and get your reading. After you just wipe it dry with a clean hand towel.

 

[srt8]

Ok,that sounds easy enough.I think I will purchase one.Do you think a light is necessary?I saw some took battery's for a light

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SRT8 http:///t/394540/my-new-refugium#post_3512981
Ok,that sounds easy enough.I think I will purchase one.Do you think a light is necessary?I saw some took battery's for a light
Do you usually have a light where you do tank maintenance?? If so, I would not pay extra for a light on the refractometer. You do need to be facing some sort of light source though. I just turn on the lights in my fish room and I can read the refractometer just fine. Save your money. LOL

 

[srt8]

Ok, yes I have plenty of light