refugium setup

[JustDavidP]

Back...from a much needed vacation/holiday.

If your goal is water quality, then I suggest a deep sand bed, additional live rock, and chaetomorpha. I also use a couple caulerpas, but am probably going to stop using them. I suggest chaetomorpha because it is a fast grower and does not have the same issues regarding water staining and the chance of it going sexual and fouling your system.

I run a small bag of carbon in my sump to help, but I do notice that the caulerpas tend to taint my water a little.

[Reptoreef]

Cheato is something else... I think it could be the key algae for a successfull fuge.

[dakar]

Cheato is something else... I think it could be the key algae for a successfull fuge.

It's the best growing stuff in our system, I have to regularly prune it every couple of months, give away all but a softball size ball, then in two/three months we've got another 20g block of it again.

[JustDavidP]

My chaeto has to be reduced to 1/2 of it's size every month. It grows under a Lights of America power compact Floodlight and boy does it grow. It is good at fixing the nitrates quick and is easy to harvest. It can also live out of water, in a moist bag, for days so it is good for shipping. Also, the pods, worms etc. love this stuff. It's like a brillow pad breeder!!

With all the issues surrounding the possible ban on caulerpa etc. Chaetomorpha will probably become the macro of choice for our fuges.