refugium Help Please

[bckane]

Ive had my sump/refugium setup now for about 2 months.......2" LSB and a few Live rocks.....refugium is about 5gal......Im starting to get a lot of black stuff around the bottom and on the mangrove pods.......dont know if this is normal....Im new to the whole refugium thingy......it is also getting a strong smell like the beach..........running lights in the fuge 10 hours a day........using LOA 65 watt PC fixture............Please help..or is this normal......I dont want it to get to the main tank because it looks BAD

 

[ellisz]

I get stuff like that in my fuge as well. I has never made it to the main though. I have always attributed it to the low flow in the fuge.

 

[bckane]

I get stuff like that in my fuge as well. I has never made it to the main though. I have always attributed it to the low flow in the fuge.

should I increase the flow...???

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

Looks like cyanobacteria to me . Try increasing the flow.

 

[bckane]

Looks like cyanobacteria to me . Try increasing the flow.

Thanks...I will up the flow

 

[MadManMac]

Do not increase the flow too much as most fuge critters like it slow. You could increase it a bit and add maybe a couple Blue Leg hermits or scarlet hermits, even a some snails might help keep nutrient levels down. The other option is to syphon out the goop when it grows, that is alway a way to remove nutrients too.