How hard is it to keep a refugium?

Adding a refugium to the reef tank system can be a game changer for some reef keepers! Most experienced hobbyists agree that a refugiums’ natural filtration is beneficial, and some have even said a necessity for growing healthy corals. At AlgaeBarn, we take refugiums and macroalgae very seriously! But, for some reef keepers just getting into the hobby, it can be a tough choice to take a chunk of reef tank budget just to grow a little box of algae! Although it sounds crazy, this is an investment in the overall health of the reef tank system. A refugium is going to provide nutrient export, filtration and most importantly, live food for fish, inverts, and corals.

So, in this article, we are going to answer some of the most frequently asked questions we get about keeping a refugium. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

How much light does a refugium need?

This is one of those questions that doesn’t have a straightforward answer! It honestly depends on what your needs and goals are for your reef tank system. Growing macroalgae in the refugium can be done for several reasons. It can be perfect for nutrient without mechanical filtration. A refugium can also be used for growing pods and a fresh food source for herbivores.

So, if you want to keep a planted fuge for multiple uses, it is probably best to use a mix of different types of macroalgae. And with different macro species, comes different lighting requirements. Let’s go over a few key factors about macro before we really dive into the lighting discussion:

When growing macro, it’s important to make sure the organisms are healthy and don’t have any pests or pathogens. Essentially, the only way to avoid this is to buy macro from reputable sources. AlgaeBarn is proud to offer a wide range of CleanMacro which has been grown in isolation and quarantine. Before we ship out a single cell of our CleanMacro, it has already been inspected. And we also offer the Alive on Arrival guarantee so there is no risk of losing out if transportation woes occur.

Alright, back to lighting! First, let’s decide if we want to grow macro mainly for aesthetics or for its potential as nutrient exporters. If the densely planted ‘fuge aesthetic is the goal, then full-spectrum lighting is best. But if we want to address an issue with excess nutrients or nuisance algae, then we want to keep sea lettuce or chaeto. Both macros will require a more powerful lighting fixture.

Consider the footprint of the refugium and the area where it is located. If it is long and thin, the option that will work best is a strip light. A spotlight or pendant style fixture is better for square or round refuges. If the refugium is in the sump area of a cabinet, there may be limited options for mounting a light.

If you want to grow macroalgae in a refugium, LEDs are the best option. They don’t put out a lot of heat so LEDs can even work in tight spaces in cabinets. We would recommend the IM ChaetoMax or the Kessil A80 for a smaller fuge system. AlgaeBarn has a great collection of resources and a team of people ready to help. Light shopping for the refugium shouldn’t make you lose your mind!

What kind of sand do I need for a refugium?

Again, there is not a straightforward answer for this question. It depends on your needs and goals for the refugium. In recent years, macro varieties like Chaetomorpha, have made hobbyists more interested in keeping a refugium. Chaeto is one of the best macro species for removing waste compounds. Since SPS corals are now being kept regularly by reef keepers, water flow rates should be higher. While this has been an issue for more delicate species of macro but not for Chaeto!

With larger particles of sand or substrate, they will not move as easily with stronger water currents. Finer sediments will be pushed around to settle in calmer areas. When the water is very rough, all that may be left is a bare bottom or sparse pieces of rubble. This isn’t exactly desired in the refugium. We are looking for moderate current, so the substrate is more likely to stay put.

Algae like shaving brush (Penicillus sp.) are a great choice for deeper sand beds. And there is all sorts of heavy lifting going on beneath the surface of the sand bed! Photoheterotrophs like purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) live in regions with very little oxygen. One of our goals for the refugium is to have PNSB colonize the deeper areas of substrate and we do not want to disturb this process!

Can you leave refugium light on 24 hours?

Spectrum, intensity, and photoperiod are all very important factors that will affect how the refugium works. When you know what you want the refugium to do, it’s easy to choose the right lighting schedule. But the short answer is, yes, there are reef keepers who schedule the refugium light on 24 hours a day. The photoperiod can also be scheduled to run opposite the display to help minimize pH swings.

A refugium can make a big difference in how well a reef tank system is operating. The refugium gives plants, animals, and critters a safe place to live. The refugium is also the best way to filter waste compounds, particulates, and dissolved solids from the water column. This is crucial for many important processes, such as, copepod reproduction, denitrification, gas exchange, and nutrient export.

Should I add a refugium?

A refugium makes it possible to keep critters that would not be able to survive in the main display system. When you build a refugium in your reef tank system, you see a lot of benefits almost instantly. It gives good bacteria more surface area to grow. This is going to help filter out nitrates and wastes in a natural way. They also give small and vulnerable critters a place to live so they can reproduce without being eaten.

Even if the reef tank system is established, it can benefit from installing a refugium. And the process is relatively simple if we follow these suggestions:

• Choose a substrate you want and what kind of macro will fit the needs of your reef tank system.
• Decide on a tank or sump and select a lighting fixture.
• Install your refugium.
• Seed the refugium with macroalgae, bacteria and pods.
• Feed the refugium with OceanMagik live phytoplankton.

AlgaeBarn has a great selection of Starter Packs to give you everything you need to start a successful refugium. Whether you’re setting up a reef tank for the first time or building a new one from scratch, these packs will get your reef started right. It has one of the best biomedia products for boosting the ability to get rid of nitrogen. MarinePure is great for growing macroalgae in the refugium because it has holes and a rough surface. MarinePure’s biomedia is a great place for denitrifying bacteria to live, which do most of their work without oxygen. There are copepods such as Tigriopus, Tisbe, Oithona and Apocyclops in many of our premium Starter Packs. OceanMagik is a mix of four different kinds of phytoplankton. 5280Pods have pods at all stages of development, from larvae to full-grown pods. The Ultimate Refugium Starter Pack helps keep algae from getting out of hand. CleanMacro algae are quarantined and inspected to make sure that your refugium is healthy and free of pests from the start.

Macroalgae are good for copepods, zooplankton, and other helpful microfauna. In the Ultimate Refugium Starter Pack, you will find OceanMagik live phyto and TurboStart 900 Live Nitrifying Bacteria. This is what sets the stage for the process of cycling a reef tank system that will last a lifetime!

We hope this article has helped to answer some of your questions about refugiums. Do you have any suggestions for reef keepers who want to add a refugium to their system? We would love to hear your experience with refugiums!