refugium or not to refugium that's my question

[Sea~Horse~Whisperer]

the fuge is usually a calmer space for the pods and microfauna to reproduce. It also usually has a sandbed in it. If you have the drain from the tank going into the fuge, it will stir everything up and it will be a nitrate mess. ( When switching sumps or cleaning it out I've stirred up the sand and it created a nitrate spike in the main tank) The skimmer in the first chamber will not skim all of the water that comes from the tank. There is plenty of food that gets to the fuge. A lot of the water makes it past the skimmer.

I hope that helps.
Angie

[pro2k]

How do you get pods and other micro bugs to grow in the fuge? I've had one running for a long time and never saw any "bugs" in there. Just macro algae and microalgae.

[stevebla]

I enjoy all the diverse life that appears in the fuge as if by magic. They are fun so set one up in a tank that will fit in your stand.