feeding upstream refugium?

[dragonwrasse]

Anthony

My friend gave me a drilled 10 gallon, and for the first time, I have a refugium! I set it up as an upstream, and it'll soon be fishless. Once I get the fish out, I would like to see populations of mini-stars and mysids flourish (some are already in there from macros I put in), and don't care much for pods. To do so, would I need to directly feed the tank? How fine do food particles have to be? What kind of food is best? Because it's an upstream, I'm not sure much food from the main tank will make it up there. Then again, I don't want to compromise water quality and defeat the purpose of a refugium. I also don't plan to put in much substrate as I never had any luck keeping cyano off sandbeds.

I'm sure you'll have questions first, so I'll let you ask the correct questions before I babble on . Thanks.

[Anthony Calfo]

Its very nice to see your choice of an upstream refugium... my fav.

The stars and mysids need solids/particulates... if there is not enough of this matter naturally from your current husbandry/habits (heavy/messy feedings of coral/fish), then I cannot see why you would want to add food/nutrients for target organisms that are motly a net burden to the system (the stars offer no nutrient export potential... and the mysids at best are recycled). The result is still the same - this refugium causes a net increase of nutrients to the system. Yikes!

If you simply adore stars and mysids, then so be it... by all means this is what your refugium is about. But most folks like to see something more productive come outr of their refugiums... denitrification from DSB fuges, copepods (the KEY plankter for so many fishes and corals), chaetomorpha as a safe and reliable vegetable filter for nutrient export, etc.

Regarding the cyano, this is a common problem stemming from the erroneous and perpetuated myth of slow water flow in refugiums. Refugiums generally need stronger water flow (10-20X) IMO.

best of luck,

Anthony

[dragonwrasse]

Originally posted by Anthony Calfo

If you simply adore stars and mysids, then so be it...

That's just it. They're what I enjoy seeing. Also I have a couple of pairs of very healthy clowns that have never spawned, and one of the things I don't do is feeding live foods. Mysids are what I consider to be the easiest to culture, and they're nutritious too.

I just noticed I may not have made it clear that I'm adding the 10G (and absolutely no plans to upgrade) my friend gave me as the fuge to my existing tank, so it's probably too small for a dsb. There's Chaeto in there.

I just don't see much food making its way from the main tank to the fuge. I guess I'll just feed the main tank as usual and let the pod population in the fuge take its own course. One more question: the chapter in your book on microfauna described an upstream serving to cultivate pods with daily feedings. Is the key there that the flow in the fuge will ensure all food gets eaten by the pods, or that pod cultivation, and not nutrient reduction, is the purpose of that setup?

Thanks again.

[Anthony Calfo]

its really a subltle difference/advantage and likely an artifact of some incidental but common realities that favor refugium keeping in general.

Under-tank refugiums tend to be smaller and more crowded/cramped (less productive too for it). They also tend to have slower flow from the layout of an integrated fuge in the sump (baffles) or by being fed witha tiny power head, etc. There is also the small (insignificant IMO) matter of impeller shear perceived by some aquarists with plankters passing through return pumps.

Upstream refugiums tend to be larger (being used as a visible feature/focal point) and tend to get much better water flow (often fed by the strong return line from the sump). Plankters can also simply gravity overflow each night unobstructed.

Subtle differences, but any/all adding up to the anecdotal experience/appearance that upstream refugiums are slightly more effective.

I frankly see little or no practical difference/advantage on either style if they are designed and operated properly.

I simply prefer upstream for convenience (to me - seeing and working on the unit easier than a cramped under tank scenario) and I also like the aesthetic of it.

No worries either way, my friend. It really sounds like you have a very good handle on what you want and what to expect.

best of luck,

Anthony