Make-shift HOB Refugium

ok. thanks.

low k = growth....high k = color.

 

Well, you don't want to go too low. They sell down to like 1500k or 1800k, but you won't get as good of a growth with that as you will with the 6500k.

 

I know, I meant still within the range one might use for an aquarium.

 

I'm not sure that chaeto will eat your detrius directly, I think it's banking on it getting broken down at some point. The pods might work on it a bit, but it won't keep it clean at all. A lot of people with large amounts of chaeto will include cleaning it out as part of their maintenance at some point because of the sheer amount crap it collects - essentially making it counterproductive at some point. Also pods won't keep themselves secluded to the chaeto you'll see them crawling all over the fuge including the rocks, sand and glass. The point being, in my opinion, some live rock in the refugium is not a terrible idea at all.

 

I would agree that some rubble is a decent idea, just not in this situation. Too little room in a HOB filter.

 

Well clean is definitely used as a relative term when talking about a fuge.

Yes, LR is ok to have, just no a lot. rather than a bunch of small pieces, try a couole medium rocks..

 

Very true.

Raven might be on the money with a fuge the size you're talking about as it would take up precious space the chaeto can be growing in. I'm just a fan of liverock and accept the fact that no matter how much flow I have in my DT - at any given time I can blast a section with a turkey baster and kick up a bunch of detrius that has been sitting. Comes with the territory I suppose.

 

I don't plan to have LR in a HOB fuge. Thanks for your thoughts.

Anyone else?

 

my cheato grows awesome with the 3500 bulbs, I wouldnt woryy about detritus, with the worms, pods, and algae they got it covered.

 

What about substrate?

Sand? What kind?

Bare bottom?