[mbad]

Anyone,

What type of substrate for a refugium that primarily is used for macroalgae export and occasionally coral grow out?

[SPasse]

Mbad,

This depends if you want a DSB in your refugium or a “mud bed”

For a DSB, the Southdown Tropical Play Sand is a popular choice.

Mud beds can be set up using substrates such as the “Miracle Mud” or it’s competitors.

Regards,

Scott

[mbad]

Spasse,

Thanks for the quick response, I have a lot of the Southdown playsand left over from my maintank. One question though. What’s more effective a DSB in a refugium that is used just for macroalgae export or a DSB plumbed to an unlit vessel ( a couple of 5 gallon buckets)? If both are equally as effective at denitrification and DOC reduction, than I can plan on having 4 more vertical inches of water for display in the refugium.

[SPasse]

Mbad,

Sorry for the tardy response, I am out of town typically four days out of every week, and often don’t get to follow up on threads for a few days.

What’s more effective a DSB in a refugium that is used just for macroalgae export or a DSB plumbed to an unlit vessel

Good question. There may be components of the upper layers of a DSB that are photosynthetic. (Then again maybe not) sounds like a good question for Dr. Ron over at ReefCentral.

Regards,

Scott

[Wrassman]

I used half Aragonite sand and half Kent Marine Biosediment. The biosediment is too fine to be used by itself (my opinion ), but the mixture holds caulerpa and gives a good home for 'pods and such. I have it about 5" deep in my sump/refugium and it has been working well for about 6 months that way.

Note: I have had my sump/refugium set up about 2 yrs total. In that time it has gone through considerable modification, and is about to be modified again. The addition of the biosediment did make a noticeable improvement in my corals in the main tank. Go figure.