What do you have in your refuge?

[azfishgal]

What do you all have in your refuge? What plants? I'm getting ready for my test run on my 125 gallon tank and then after that goes smoothly I will be adding my RO water and then sand and lr. I will be putting live sand in my refuge, but wasn't sure what kind of plants to put in. I was also going to add some hermit crabs and a brittle star. One of my lfs has a type of sea weed and another lfs has an actual plant. What is better? So if you can just give me a stock list for your refuge (including light and how long you keep it on).
Thanks!

 

[promisetbg]

Add Chaetomorpha, it will not go sexual as caulerpas will. Caulerpas also posess toxins . Red algaes are hard to grow in a new refugium. I keep mine in a 29 gal with 2 X 65 wt. 6500 K power compacts. They come on at 7 P.M. and go off at 8 a.m...HTH.

 

[fedukeford]

I keep cheato and lots of LR in my fuge, with 96 watt of PC. the fuge is a section of my sump thats around 10-15 gallons.
Feduke

 

[tomtoro]

I have cheato, red caulerpa and unfortunately some taxifolia (sp?) and racemosa. The last two have taken over, but I'm trying to remove enough to let the first two take over without killing my nitrate removing.
50gal sump
20 gal refugium section
110w of pc 10000k lighting
5 hermits
3 nassarius
5 astreas
2 peppermint shrimp
1 emerald crab
30lbs of LR

 

[sly]

I have chaetomorpha and some mangroves in a 10 gal refug with a 75 watt incandescent grow light and 2 20 watt NO fluorescent grow lights.

 

[azfishgal]

Thanks everyone, I'll take that under advicement.

 

[showmenow]

do you have to feed all them critters in your refuge

 

[cam78]

Can everyone post pictures of the refuge tank itself? I am thinking of building one out of a 10 gallon tank. I wanna see how everything is divided and so on. Or if it looks that difficult I might just buy a premade one. Thanks. I have a 46 Bow with enough room for a 10 gallon underneath maybe a 15. Got to see.

 

[azfishgal]

I'd like to see pics too. :cheer:
Edit: I have a stupid question: Do you need to plant Chaeto in your sand, or does it just float in the water?

 

[azfishgal]

Yes, another question: If the Chaeto grows to much for your refuge do you take some out and put it in your DT for a special treat for the fish (like tangs)?

 

[tomtoro]

Originally Posted by azfishgal
Yes, another question: If the Chaeto grows to much for your refuge do you take some out and put it in your DT for a special treat for the fish (like tangs)?
I trade mine for stuff at my lfs. I don't get much, but last time he gave me some baby brine for it. Better than throwing it away. My buddy is setting up his tank soon. I'll be giving him my throw away algae so he can get the pods out of it.
Lots of people put it in their dt for the tangs. Not sure if that's a good idea or not since the idea is for nutrient export. I'm sure a small amount won't hurt.

 

[goodwin9]

Originally Posted by azfishgal
I'd like to see pics too. :cheer:
Edit: I have a stupid question: Do you need to plant Chaeto in your sand, or does it just float in the water?
Tumbling action in the refugium is best.

 

[vicegrip]

Originally Posted by CAM78
Can everyone post pictures of the refuge tank itself? I am thinking of building one out of a 10 gallon tank. I wanna see how everything is divided and so on. Or if it looks that difficult I might just buy a premade one. Thanks. I have a 46 Bow with enough room for a 10 gallon underneath maybe a 15. Got to see.
Here's the plan I used for my 75g.