What’s is your Refugium

[gotsalt]

I am in the process of building a refugium for my new 90 gal. And have read a lot of good information on how to do it on this message board. What is not disused is what to put inside. I want to make the refugium as efficient as possible (appearance is secondary). So what is in yours (sand and or mud, rock, plants, copeds ect….) and what kind of light and flow is best. Do I need a skimmer at this point I only have two small fish but going to get more. i have 130 pounds of rock and 3-4 inch of sand in dt.

 

[rookum]

i just set up a fuge for my 90. i used a 20 gal long tank and put baffles in it myself. i have heard mud is okay but my lfs wont sell it cause they dont tell you whats in it. i run a 15w compact bulp on a clamp light that fits and clamps right to the center brace under the stand. i ran the light for 2 weeks straight 24/7 to see what would grow, good or bad algea. then went 20lbs of live sand and another 2 wks of 24/7 lights. then the rubble rock about 10 2 15 lbs with some macro. i recommend a skimmer for what ever you do. i started with a skimmer that was way 2 small for a 90 then used a seaclone from my old 55,that didn't do it. i was given a coralife super skimmer for a 220 gal and put a rio 2500 on it. this thing takes out some gunk. now skimmer choice is up to you but dont under estimate its importance in the system. my intake to the fuge has a filter sock on it to catch the large stuff and the skimmer is in the same compartment. letting the nastiest of water hit it first. this allows the skimmer to properly do its job. then on through the fuge and through some bios i had laying around to the return pump and the u.v. thats it. i just started a fuge as well for my 75 with the amiricle sump that was on my 90. same process and its rockin. when you get through the initial setup phase the lights on the fuge are run oppisite as your tank lights to balance the ph and o2 levels if i'm correct. good luck

 

[nycbob]

i gv the figi mud and cheato in mine. pods r growing like nuts.