Need advice on setting up a refugium

[animalparamedic]

I just bought a CPR HOB refugium (small) and the light for it... I already have some macro algae, and wonder what else should i put innto this refugium... Mud, bioslab, and suggestions??? i am new to the refugium idea - read some articles on it, got this one off of ebay with the light, and 2 acrylic tanks and a sump(20gal) all for $60.00... Figured the price was right and i think its a good idea - just not sure where to go with it... I am rambling, so please offer advice. Thanks,

 

[lReef lKeeper]

i would throw in a somewhat deep sand bed (a few inches), some of the macro, and a hermit crab. keep in mind that you will want LOW flow running through it, the lower the better. this will give the macro time to clear the nutrients from the water a little better. and the sand bed with also help with nutrient export.

 

[animalparamedic]

so you would say sand, not the muds that i have seen? Any hermit crab, or a specific type? Also, any snails or just keep those in the tank?

 

[lReef lKeeper]

i would use sand, but i dont really know a whole lot about the miracle mud or any other type of mud systems. i would look for a couple of nassarius snails to sift the sand in the fuge, and maybe something like one or two red leg hermits for detritius removal.

 

[melosu58]

I have the miracle mud in mine covered with a couple inches of sand but if I had to do it all over again I would skip the mud. Have not seen any value to it.

 

[lReef lKeeper]

I have the miracle mud in mine covered with a couple inches of sand but if I had to do it all over again I would skip the mud. Have not seen any value to it.

i have never heard anything great about them, but thanks for giving your personal experience with it. i will add it to the rest of the "i have seen nothing special about it" experience posts that i have read.

 

[animalparamedic]

Thanks, Ill go with the sand... on a side note - is there any reason i couldnt hang this off of my sump - space may be an issue behind the tank???

 

[lReef lKeeper]

i dont see why that would not work.

 

[Ziggy953]

You can hang the fuge off your sump. The beneifit to the type of fuge you have is being able to see the things that are going on in it. Sometimes a fuge can be as interesting to look at as a main display. (in a different way of course.) As was mentioned above make sure you have slow and gentle flow going through the fuge. You want that water to mingle with the Macro as long as possible.

 

[animalparamedic]

Thanks for the advice, and i can see that it would be interesting - but my tank was setup and im not sure i have enough wall clearance for it to HOB... im going to measure later