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View Full Version : refugium -what to use?

staunched
08/21/2004, 10:01 AM
just built a refugium for my 6ft. thinking of a dsb but we cant get live sand here. would have to cover some dead sand in some l/r and wait 6 months or so for it to come to life. im gonna throw in some caluerpa taxafolia in there too. whats the most effective for nitrate removal? what are yall thoughts?
Bushman
08/21/2004, 10:40 AM
I'd recommend chaeto....
staunched
08/21/2004, 10:49 AM
whats chaeto? whether i can get it heres another matter as well.
mhurley
08/21/2004, 10:53 AM
Chaetomorpha. Run some searches and you'll find it.
Caulerpa sp. all run the risk of going sexual and releasing their toxins into your tank. Chaeto does not go sexual and provides all the same nutrient export benefits as caulerpa.

It is all I use in my refuge's.
staunched
08/21/2004, 11:00 AM
cheers. i hope i can find some here. just found an interesting thread about phosphate burps caused by dsb's so i dont think ill take that path. is macro algae as effective though?
mhurley
08/21/2004, 11:06 AM
Hmmm.....Don't believe everything you read. I've got a 330 gallon tank with a 6" DSB that's been up for over a year now. Phosphates are undetectable by 4 different test kits, and I feed my tank pretty heavily. I think the combination of a DSB and a good refugium is very effective.
staunched
08/21/2004, 11:09 AM
from what ive read it starts getting risky after about 3 years. i was all keen untill i found this thread. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=263482&highlight=DSB
peep the photo on page 4 or so of the phosphate burp on the coast in the states. crazy stuff.
StephenEvans
08/22/2004, 02:26 AM
chaetomorpha...
now i have NO algae.. lol..
staunched
08/22/2004, 06:04 AM
when you say caleurpa releases toxins, are we talking about it spreading to your reef tank or does it actually produce harmfull toxins?
cheers staunch
mhurley
08/22/2004, 07:27 AM
Try this.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/nftt/index.htm
yuhsuen
08/22/2004, 07:42 AM
Yikes!!! I have that same caluerpa in my tank. I keep on pulling them out but they just grow like weed. I have a bad feeling...does anyone know anything that'll eat caluerpa algae?? My tangs and hermits won't touch it.
staunched
08/22/2004, 08:24 AM
looks nasty. wonder if it caused any major problems. if your tangs dont take to it in your reeftank, well thats a prob in itself i suppose.