New refugium help

I just got a new refugium that supports a 200 gallon tank. This is my first refugium and I am looking for the best way to set it up (Sealife Systems Reefmaster Pro Refugium, the outtake drains into an area of four socks, flows over to the refugium, then over to the where the protein skimmer and pump are). I read in some past articles about using cat litter?????? Can someone please explain why and where....that is a lot cheaper than the refugium mud I ordered. Also, I have heard about layering different substrates, different types of mud, live sand, etc. What is the difference between the black mud and the white mud? Also, I have a deep sand bed in the tank already. I have been thinking of reducing that and putting some into the refugium? Any suggestions of this or should I leave it alone?

I currently have the refugium already set up, it is just running empty until I figure out what to do. Also, what are the best plants to put in there? I prefer plants that will reduce nitrates and also double as a food source when pruned. Also, do I need to put sand cleaners in the refugium? How about live rock in the fug?

I am also curious about using the refugium as a frag holding area. Just for like beginner type frags. And, can you put a sea horse in there? I only ask this because my kid wants one and a friend said now you can get her a sea horse????? Oh, one last thing, do I need to buy some little critters like copiopods and put in there or will they just start reproducing in there on there own?

I know there are a lot of questions, but I read all this material researching on the internet it is mind boggling with all the different ways. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Plz explain how this could be a problem what am i missing. I don't see how a fuge could be to big. More water volume good, more pod production good, huge area for natural filtration very good.

 

Sorry, I didn't update my signature, I thought I had. Anyway, I have a 120 gallon acrylic tank now.

 

Non scented cat litter is just alkaline Ga. Clay and it is as good and what you buy for Magic mud just a lot less .. But thats up to you.. The refugium water should never be filtered through a sock of any type the water through a refugium needs to trickle very slowly to allow the solids to settle out and fall to the bottom.. To be broken down so that the plants can convert them to food .

A fudge should have about 4 to 5 inch deep sand bed and reversed lite it lights on at Night and off in the day opposite of the main tank.

A fuge that is to large there will not be enough waste food to support the grasses then you get into having th fertilize them. The slow flows also allow for nitrate reduction.. . No L/R or corals or animals are really needed and I'd not want any in my fuge .
A Refugium is not pretty or something to display or to look at its a swamp short and simple ever seen a clean salt marsh ? They all stink at low tide

I try to make mine 1/10 the size of the main tank and then flow 1/10 of the fuge volume through the refugium hourly. 100 gal Tank a 10 gal fuge then 10 GPH through the fuge.. works for me everytime ..Never a problem with grasses going sexual as they starve out. And I toss it out by the buckets full.

 

Flow should be 1/10 the FUGE volume per hour, or 1/10 the TANK volume per hour..? 'cause a 10GPH would be 1/10 of the tank's volume per hour, right?

/confused


spiral