Refugium issue

[macman7010]

I was away on an internship for a week and when I got home the pump that powers my Aqua Clear 500 modified refugium had stopped so the refuge had been sitting for some time with no water circulation. The macro algae was still alive but looked poor and the whole refuge stunk!

I took about 5 gallons of my aquarium water, put that in a 10 gallon tank, dumped all the live sand, live rock, etc from the refuge into there and have placed a small powerhead in there with the cf light above. the water still kind of stinks and my question is this;

I have ordered a new CPR hang on back refuge kit and when it comes tommorow am I better getting new live sand, some new live rock, and just transporting over my live rock from the old refuge or should I move all the old live sand, live rock, everything over to the new refuge kit. I fear that a lot of die off of micro organisms has occured in that sand, rock and so on and that by placing that in the new refuge arriving tommorow I am going to have a major nitrate/ammonia spike in my main tank by allowing possible pollutants to enter. Any ideas?

 

[steve-s]

That's gotta hurt 8O

I would toss the sand and cycle the rock in a seperate pail. It'll take a few weeks but much less exspensive than replacing it. Cleaning the sand would be an ornerous task although it can be done, I really don't think the time and effort is worth it.

Cheers
Steve

 

[macman7010]

I will keep the rock and toss the sand. I ordered some mineral mud and live sand to arrive with the fuge kit.

 

[malkore]

I recently had the shallow sand bed in my fuge start to crash. smelled liek rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide gas being the likely culprit).

i tossed the sand,a nd just run the fuge with live rock rubble and some chaeto.

 

[tecwzrd]

I also use live rock rubble and chaetomorpha Algae solely in my lighted refugium without sand. Unless you are keeping worms or other sand stirring creatures I would go without the sand personally. The lr rubble and chaeto is more then enough to serve as nutrient reduction and for pods cultivation.

Since you already ordered some mineral mud and live sand I’d add it to the main which would be easier to control and keep from crashing.

 

[jasno999]

Does he really want to add mud to the main?? I think that woudl be a pain in the butt and a messy effort.

 

[tecwzrd]

The mineral mud isn’t as bad as some and of course it would depend on the amount purchased and up to him in the end.

Dealing with either sand or mud in the refugium is more headache then the very slight benefits that either give.

More then anything I just hate to waste money.