Refugium question

[dave00gt]

i looked at my HOB refugium housing chaeto and some grape caulerpa and i noticed ther is a milky oily residue blanket, making it no visible to see all the way down the refugium.. it looks kinda and oily blanket..

what is going on?


One more question, Is it bad to just hook up a a fully stocked refugium to a tank?

thanks

[Steven Pro]

I would need to see a picture and even then it would be just a guess. It could be some sort of algae, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellate, oils/organics, or something else entirely. Although, I doubt siphoning it out would hurt anything.

[dave00gt]

I would need to see a picture and even then it would be just a guess. It could be some sort of algae, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellate, oils/organics, or something else entirely. Although, I doubt siphoning it out would hurt anything.

i forgot to take a picture, but i am going to soon.

im leaning torwards oils-organics.

does it seem i need a skimmer

[dave00gt]

Here are the pics, kinda filmy like

[Steven Pro]

It looks like it could be a combination of oils, organics, and dust. I know some people wick this off with a clean, no-dye paper towel (the cheaper, the better).

[dave00gt]

It looks like it could be a combination of oils, organics, and dust. I know some people wick this off with a clean, no-dye paper towel (the cheaper, the better).

thanks

[leebca]

Dave,

Just noticed this older post. Your refugium looks familiar.

If the 'scum' I notice in the upper right corner persists along with the oily surface, it is mostly like lipids and fatty acids loose in the system. The scum, like Steven mentioned is a combo of cyanobacteria and filimentous algaes. These grow and the oily surface gathers as things die off (in the refugium as well as the entire system, if it is connected to one). You not only need a skimmer for this, but you need to let things 'age' (meaning you need to let things go ahead and die off and the system settles down -- matures).

One of the skimmer's best uses is in removing fatty acids, and proteins associated with lipids.

There's no problem attaching an old refugium to a new tank system that I am aware of.