DIY Refugium finished...Inhabitants??

[atillathetom]

All,

I finshed my DIY Fuge about a month ago and got the sand bed, fiji mud and some macro into it. I cannot believe how fast all the pods started reproducing. They are everywhere...

I built the fuge out of acrylic in the shop at my place of business. I reinforced the corners with additional strips of acrylic (I dont trust my seams using thin acrylic). I bought a small light and some egg crate. Drilled a couple holes for bulkheads and a small pump...TADA..a fuge. I think about 50 bucks invested(most of the cost was mud and light).

My question is: What type of other inhabitants can I add to the fuge? I am starting to see some other algea growth (slime) and would like to keep it at bay. Do I add snails? small stars? what else can i drop in?

Thanks for the advice,

Tom



http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/61011031506_08232.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/61011031506_08231.jpg
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/61011031506_08221.jpg

[Maxxumless]

Anything that eats algae and/or bacteria (sand sifting sea stars for example) would defeat the purpose of a refugium. Perhaps a Nassarius and a bumble bee snail – but you might want to place a small piece of LR in there too. In any case, I wouldn’t even add them for at least a few months until there is something in there for them to eat.