Refugium Soup - Can a single refugium house BOTH pods AND macroalgae?

SkyReef

SkyReef

Member
To read what I have read, I get the impression that a dedicated refugium serves the function of either growing pods OR macroalgae, but NOT both. I am confused by this. Does one negate the other?

I have a dedicated, 12-gallon refugium that will not be hidden away in a stand, but it will be proudly displayed alongside my reef aquarium. I figured out the plumbing, so that is not a big deal, anymore. However, what to put IN the refugium has suddenly caused me great confusion.

I want to have it all in my refugium: pods, live rock, deep sand bed, and macro algae all in the same 12-gallon tank. If necessary, I am willing to separate sections of the refugium by way of divider panels, such that the clashing components don't mix. Whatever it takes. But is that really necessary? Why can't I just throw everything together in one refugium soup?

How can I best achieve my goal here?

All wisdom greatly appreciated!

Thanks.
 
LPS_Blasto

LPS_Blasto

Member
Agree. A fuge is for copepods, amphipods, macro algae, bad crabs, aggressive fish, that giant star fish that knocks all your frags over in the display..... It's a safe haven. A refuge.

ref·uge
[ref-yooj]
noun, verb, -uged, -ug·ing.
–noun
1. shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.: to take refuge from a storm.
2. a place of shelter, protection, or safety.
3. anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.
–verb (used with object)
4. Archaic . to afford refuge to.
–verb (used without object)
5. Archaic . to take refuge.

I'm trying an algae scrubber for the first time. They are supposed to be great at contributing to pod growth. You might try and incorporate one of those into your fuge.
 
PIMPALA

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
put it all in there! I've got a DSB, rocks, macro, pipefish, scooter blenny, frag rack, tons and tons of pods... it works great!
 
SkyReef

SkyReef

Member
Eric said:
You can make a soup as you put it and grow both in one :D
Click to expand...

tnwillia said:
+1^
Click to expand...

FragFarmer said:
Agree. A fuge is for copepods, amphipods, macro algae, bad crabs, aggressive fish, that giant star fish that knocks all your frags over in the display..... It's a safe haven. A refuge.

ref·uge
[ref-yooj]
noun, verb, -uged, -ug·ing.
–noun
1. shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc.: to take refuge from a storm.
2. a place of shelter, protection, or safety.
3. anything to which one has recourse for aid, relief, or escape.
–verb (used with object)
4. Archaic . to afford refuge to.
–verb (used without object)
5. Archaic . to take refuge.

I'm trying an algae scrubber for the first time. They are supposed to be great at contributing to pod growth. You might try and incorporate one of those into your fuge.
Click to expand...

PIMPALA said:
put it all in there! I've got a DSB, rocks, macro, pipefish, scooter blenny, frag rack, tons and tons of pods... it works great!
Click to expand...

Thanks, all. Very helpful. Can you post pictures? How do the copepods and amphipods migrate to the main tank to present as a food source? I would think they would get chewed up by the protein skimmer and return pump, along the way (after migrating down to the sump before traveling back up to the main tank, which is separate and apart from the dedicated refugium, from where they came)?
 
Eric

Eric

Google Warrior
PREMIUM
They just get pass through the pumps and skimmer back to the DT, they are tough and most survive the ones that don't get eaten as soon as the blow in.
 
PIMPALA

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
what would you like pics of? there are several of my fuge in my 150 thread.


and i dont know how many of my pods travel to the DT, but every couple of days, i take a bowl of water, and scoop it from the fuge to the DT, and im thinking hundreds, if not more get scooped up, and my fish LOVE it.
 
SkyReef

SkyReef

Member
PIMPALA said:
what would you like pics of? there are several of my fuge in my 150 thread.


and i dont know how many of my pods travel to the DT, but every couple of days, i take a bowl of water, and scoop it from the fuge to the DT, and im thinking hundreds, if not more get scooped up, and my fish LOVE it.
Click to expand...

Oh, just pics of what your refugium looks like. Thanks.
 
PIMPALA

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
DSC02536.jpg
 
PIMPALA

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
i had to move my frag rack to the DT. The macro was overgrowing everything within 2-3 days.

ive been harvesting every week or two, and removing 1/2 or more of whats there... here is what it looks like right now (this is about as full as i let it get)

d605e85d.jpg
 
OHmariner

OHmariner

Member
Rhodes19 said:
Wow, that's sweet. Is that Caulerpa? Any problems with it going sexual?
Click to expand...

Going sexual? Could you explain this a little more please? I have caulerpa growing in my sump with chaeto too, its weird because when I use phosban or chemi-pure elite, the caulerpa will dissapear and die, and when the phosban start to wear out, the caulerpa grows back. Weird stuff, my chaeto does the same, I know it doing it because of the lack of phosphates but its werid to see the 'cycle' of it happening
 
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