Refugium Setup Ideas

More than one macro algae in one system will actually produce less growth. They release chemicals that inhibit growth in each other, as well as some people believing they affect coral growth. Keep it simple and easiest to manage, over complicating things usually leads to people to not spending time keeping up on maintenance due to more work.

 

+1. I'd stick to small pieces of live rock in the sump, with one type of macro. Live rock is the best source of filtration IMO. Keep it simple.

 

Personally, I'm not a fan of bare bottoms. I think sand bottoms look better, more natural, and if a rock falls over, you dont have to worry about the bottom of your tank cracking. Sand looks good and plays as insurance in a way. I've seen alot of people run chaeto, but personally I have never really ran anything macro wise, so hopefully someone else will chip in on that. I'd actually be curious what others have used for feeding tangs and such as well.

 

I think he's talking about sand or bate bottom in the sump. I wouldn't bother with sand I'd you have it in your display. People grow ulva or gracilaria for tang food.

 

I would run the sump bare-bottom and elevate the rock off the bottom a bit, if possible. Having the rock elevated would help prevent detritus from settling in your sump. If you wanted a DSB i would look at running externally so when it becomes saturated with nutrients (insert debate here about how fast/if this actually happens) the sand can be easily replaced. As for the macro I have used Chateao in the past but didn't observe any changes in nutrient levels from adding it into my system (Nitrate & Phos) was what I was hoping to decrease. I would run it on an opposite photocycle to your display tank. In my newest set up I am looking at running a biopellet reactor with the output dumping to my skimmer to assist in nutrient export.