Newbie Help with a refugium set up, please & thank you in advance

[TacticalBacon]

All,
I have been researching the refugium, Fuge, and really like the idea of it.

I have a 43g Cube, 24/24/17in with a Mano Cube SS Sump.

I have about a 9x10x15 LxWxH space where i can put an aquamesh wall and have that space for macro.

Is this enough space?

I plan to have a mixed tank, mostly fish with some simple corals (yeah, I know, will change, but I've never had corals, so I am taking it slow).

I just did a fishless cycle (4 weeks) and everything is looking good. I can add fish and corals now (assuming my water tests good, this weekend).

Do I get the fuge in place before I place any fish or corals? Can I do them together, like add 1-2 small fish and then do the fuge set up?

Also, I am leaning towards Chaeto, but am open to suggestions based on the info provided.

 

[Subsea]

“Is this enough space?“ And I ask you, enough space for what?

What do you expect from your lighted algae refugium?

An unlite sump is a refuge from predators.

Add your fish and coral to display tank. I would not lite up your refugium until your tank is more mature.

PS. Depending on livestock and clean up crew, there is no reason you couldn’t have some ornamental seaweeds in your display.

 

[TacticalBacon]

I am wanting to set up a good stable tank and not kill my fish or corals. I want to keep the tank water clean and keep it at steady levels.

I am not wanting to run a skimmer if possible and it seems like a Fuge is a good alternative.

 

[Subsea]

I am wanting to set up a good stable tank and not kill my fish or corals. I want to keep the tank water clean and keep it at steady levels.

I am not wanting to run a skimmer if possible and it seems like a Fuge is a good alternative.

I have several skimmerless & sumpless tanks between 55G & 10G.

On my two display tanks at 75G & 120G, I use unlit sumps to grow pods to feed tank.

Keeping system clean & stable depends on your maintenance: vacuming sandbeds, partial water changes and monitoring critical parameters.

Allow a few months for your tank to mature before initiating lighted algae refugium.

 

[FUNGI]

I am wanting to set up a good stable tank and not kill my fish or corals. I want to keep the tank water clean and keep it at steady levels.

I am not wanting to run a skimmer if possible and it seems like a Fuge is a good alternative.

I think you will be disappointed if you think that, that size fuge will do much to control anything....

 

[TacticalBacon]

I have several skimmerless & sumpless tanks between 55G & 10G.

On my two display tanks at 75G & 120G, I use unlit sumps to grow pods to feed tank.

Keeping system clean & stable depends on your maintenance: vacuming sandbeds, partial water changes and monitoring critical parameters.

Allow a few months for your tank to mature before initiating lighted algae refugium.

Thank you, I am really set on a Fuge, and will go unlit for a bit and then go with the light later on, it is easy to add.
I am doing planning on a 5 gal water change every 7-10 days, depending on how testing goes.

Do you know when I should start cleaning my sand, I am at week 4 on my cycle. I've read to leave it alone for up to 2 months but can't find where I found that piece of information, so I may be mis-recalling it.

 

[Subsea]

Thank you, I am really set on a Fuge, and will go unlit for a bit and then go with the light later on, it is easy to add.
I am doing planning on a 5 gal water change every 7-10 days, depending on how testing goes.

Do you know when I should start cleaning my sand, I am at week 4 on my cycle. I've read to leave it alone for up to 2 months but can't find where I found that piece of information, so I may be mis-recalling it.

Part of this is for you to use bio-indicators to allow you to understand when to intervene. In the case of a young reef startup, there are many cycles beside nitrogen fixation bacteria. It’s best to leave things alone and not test in early start up, however, after 55 years, “I am a Laissez faire reefer”.

“Do you know when I should start cleaning my sand“

When ever it starts to look ugly to you, that’s the time for the janitors. Include detrivores with your clean up crew.

I use diver collected live rock to bring in diversity of micro fauna & fana which provides a more stable ecosystem much faster than dry rock & bottled bacteria.

However, I run nutrient rich systems with easy to maintain soft corals and not so easy filter feeders Iike flame scallops & sea apples along with ornamental sponge.

PS: week 4 on nitrogen cycle is more than long enough. It should take 10 days.

 

[Subsea]

“Also, I am leaning towards Chaeto, but am open to suggestions based on the info provided.“

Check out tutorial from diver/owner of GulfCoastEcoSystems

Marine Plants In The Aquarium: An online guide to the identification and care of marine plants and macroalgae in the aquarium.

An online guide to the identification and care of marine plants and macroalgae in the aquarium.

www.marineplantbook.com

 

[TacticalBacon]

Part of this is for you to use bio-indicators to allow you to understand when to intervene. In the case of a young reef startup, there are many cycles beside nitrogen fixation bacteria. It’s best to leave things alone and not test in early start up, however, after 55 years, “I am a Laissez faire reefer”.

“Do you know when I should start cleaning my sand“

When ever it starts to look ugly to you, that’s the time for the janitors. Include detrivores with your clean up crew.

I use diver collected live rock to bring in diversity of micro fauna & fana which provides a more stable ecosystem much faster than dry rock & bottled bacteria.

However, I run nutrient rich systems with easy to maintain soft corals and not so easy filter feeders Iike flame scallops & sea apples along with ornamental sponge.

PS: week 4 on nitrogen cycle is more than long enough. It should take 10 days.

I hope to be a Laissez faire reefer one day. You should copy right that, its a good description. That is kinda my goal, to get it where things work well and I have a pretty stable system that you feed and clean as needed, which isn't every day or multiple times per month.

I do clean the Glass on Monday and Fridays.

Hoping to get my first Corals and Fish this weekend.

I wish I was closer to the coast to get diver collected rocks and stuff, that would be great, being landlocked, I am not sure it would make it up here.

I am getting back into to Saltwater after being out since 2010 and so much has changed and I feel like I don't know anything at all.

I had a 200g & 100g FOWLR, 2 quarantine tanks and was very happy with all I had. It was working great and then I took advise from someone I shouldn't' have and let didn't use the LFS to check my tanks while I was on vacation. Needless to say the person who watched over them, didn't watch and I never really figured out what exactly happened. I was so upset and took everything down and put it up for sale and then ended up giving it to a College student who was really into it and was on a budget. He was haggling with me and bought a few things and then came back and finally just asked him what he was up to.

My Mastiff passed away this past year and I don't have the heart to get another one, so I am getting back into the saltwater world.

 

[Subsea]

As a Laissez faire reefer, I emulate nature.

As a marine engineer and municipal wastewater superintendent, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Diver collected live rock is shipped by air to landlocked cities. Your LFS should be able to get it. Or consider doing a group buy with a local reef club.

Because I had 10KG in a greenhouse cultivating Texas “holy rock” with diver collected rock, I ordered bulk delivery to be picked up at airport. The first 100lbs cost $1/lb and everything after cost $0.45/lb.

Once when I was aquascaping a 150G new 30” deep tank, I asked Dan to get me a showpiece. He sent me a picture on his offshore lease at 50’ and I approved it with me getting it a few days later. I was a good customer and Dan was not so busy in those days.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

 

[TacticalBacon]

As a Laissez faire reefer, I emulate nature.

As a marine engineer and municipal wastewater superintendent, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Diver collected live rock is shipped by air to landlocked cities. Your LFS should be able to get it. Or consider doing a group buy with a local reef club.

Because I had 10KG in a greenhouse cultivating Texas “holy rock” with diver collected rock, I ordered bulk delivery to be picked up at airport. The first 100lbs cost $1/lb and everything after cost $0.45/lb.

Once when I was aquascaping a new 30” deep tank at 150G tank, I asked Dan to get me a showpiece. He sent me a picture on his offshore lease at 50’ and I approved it with me getting it a few days later. I was a good customer and Dan was not so busy in those days.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

Thank you for all the information. I am going to have to get another tank soon. So many ideas and wants popping into my head.

 

[TacticalBacon]

As a Laissez faire reefer, I emulate nature.

As a marine engineer and municipal wastewater superintendent, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Diver collected live rock is shipped by air to landlocked cities. Your LFS should be able to get it. Or consider doing a group buy with a local reef club.

Because I had 10KG in a greenhouse cultivating Texas “holy rock” with diver collected rock, I ordered bulk delivery to be picked up at airport. The first 100lbs cost $1/lb and everything after cost $0.45/lb.

Once when I was aquascaping a 150G new 30” deep tank, I asked Dan to get me a showpiece. He sent me a picture on his offshore lease at 50’ and I approved it with me getting it a few days later. I was a good customer and Dan was not so busy in those days.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

That website was cool and made me re-think everything.

I am going to find a local club and see if I can't get some of that stuff.

 

[Subsea]

That website was cool and made me re-think everything.

I am going to find a local club and see if I can't get some of that stuff.

Winter is not the best time for collecting in the Gulf of Mexico. Also because Gulf Live Rock got hammered by two hurricanes. I spoke with Dan after first hurricane in which he lost his boat and he was on fire to get back in. When I spoke with him after the second hurricame, when his home was damaged and his shore based facility was destroyed, he was despondent. I have known Dan for 10 years, he will rebuild.

Previous to these hurricanes, Dan shipped nano rock packages to your door. I just looked at GLR website and he is shipping live rock. The smallest unit was 10 lbs at $7/lb.

10 lbs Premium Deco Live Rock

10 lbs Premium Deco Live Rock

gulfliverock.com

 

[chaewon]

I have about a 9x10x15 LxWxH space where i can put an aquamesh wall and have that space for macro.

Is this enough space?

That is fine, I have fuge in a 8x15x10 space. This, along with a 20L weekly water change has been enough to manage my P and N levels.

I set up my fuge 2 months after I put my clown fish pair, just to make sure there was some sort of nutrients for the macroalgae

 

[Mr Fishface]

Gulf coast ecosystems has great algae selections. Bought from them before and am going to buy from them when they open again next year. I meant to order before this week but never got around to it. It doesn't take much space to have a refugium and I've put several macros in my display tank in the past. I currently have an AIO tank and will be putting macros in my display again.

 

[Subsea]

That is fine, I have fuge in a 8x15x10 space. This, along with a 20L weekly water change has been enough to manage my P and N levels.

I set up my fuge 2 months after I put my clown fish pair, just to make sure there was some sort of nutrients for the macroalgae

What macro algae is this? Very attractive. I find ornamental seaweeds very attractive is display tanks.

 

[Sump Crab]

I hope to be a Laissez faire reefer one day. You should copy right that, its a good description. That is kinda my goal, to get it where things work well and I have a pretty stable system that you feed and clean as needed, which isn't every day or multiple times per month.

I do clean the Glass on Monday and Fridays.

Hoping to get my first Corals and Fish this weekend.

I wish I was closer to the coast to get diver collected rocks and stuff, that would be great, being landlocked, I am not sure it would make it up here.

I am getting back into to Saltwater after being out since 2010 and so much has changed and I feel like I don't know anything at all.

I had a 200g & 100g FOWLR, 2 quarantine tanks and was very happy with all I had. It was working great and then I took advise from someone I shouldn't' have and let didn't use the LFS to check my tanks while I was on vacation. Needless to say the person who watched over them, didn't watch and I never really figured out what exactly happened. I was so upset and took everything down and put it up for sale and then ended up giving it to a College student who was really into it and was on a budget. He was haggling with me and bought a few things and then came back and finally just asked him what he was up to.

My Mastiff passed away this past year and I don't have the heart to get another one, so I am getting back into the saltwater world.

Any knowledge you have from 2010 is more relevant than most of the current fads going on today lol. Also don't listen to anyone who says your huge will be too small to do anything lol. They don't know if that's true or not becuase it's hard to quantify. If it grows macro we'll then it's doing something!