refuge?

[NewbReefer]

I just got my fine sand bed put in my sump, should i put in Chaetomorpha Algae or Ulva Lettuce Algae? and do they do fairly well with a stronger current? i just bought a neat little 18" under-the-shelf flouresent light fixture for $6 from wal-mart and i got a special bulb for aquariums and to help premote plant growth for another $5, and it gives off almost no heat, so we'll see how that works. oh and i also powered up the protein skimmer to break it in and to help remove some of those Nitrates.

 

[yote]

I dont run a fuge,but i'd say you'd be alright with either one of those.
As for the flow in the fuge,I'll have to let somebody else answer that one.

 

[reeffreak]

I don't run a fuge either,at least not yet.I believe a slow flow is better than a fast one.,but you don't want it stagnate either.Chaeto would be my choice for macro,Honestly I don't even know what Ulva lettuce is.

 

[matthew1048]

I would think either of your choices for macro algae would be ok...I've read that Mangroves make great additions to a fuge...I've also read in an article, posted on this site actually, that if you're setting up a fuge for nutrient export, then you should shoot for a flow rate of around 5 gph....I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this will vary, depending upon who you talk to.....

 

[NewbReefer]

I just read in a article that Chaetomorpha Algae and Ulva Lettuce Algae are both very good for a fuge and that they do well in a stronger current but they dont mention how strong, well my sump is pretty fast flowing, my overflow is rated at 600gph and my return pump is the 9.5 mag drive and is rated for 950 gph and is running full boar, but im also pumping about 3 feet high ,give or take, so it's not a slow flow. I guess i'll prolly just go with Chaetomorpha Algae unless someone else has a different opinion.

 

[d.french]

i have a hang on fuge with 2 red mangroves and chaeto in it and because of fuge nitrates and phosphates stay down plus i have tons of amphipods, copepods, isopods(free food for fish and corals.

 

[NewbReefer]

so you can put the Mangroves in with the Chaeto?

 

[d.french]

i guess i do, i know chaeto needs to tumble in fast moving water but i just keep pulling it out every 2 weeks cause it keeps growing like crazy so i prune it.

 

[d.french]

that and lights should be on in fuge 24/7

 

[NewbReefer]

awesome, thanks for the tips. oh, does the Mangroves root themselves to the sand bed in the refugium or do the just tumble like the cheato and have you noticed any of the Mangroves in your display tank?

 

[d.french]

2 mangroves in hang on fuge only, fuge has 3 inch sandbed and they root themselves down in sandbed you have to wet leafs down every so often or you will see the plants will not grow very well.

 

[NewbReefer]

alright thanks

 

[fishbait]

i havent had any experience with mangroves myself. but i heard they need lots of light. unlike the chaeto that is soposed to be a low light macro algae. just something to think about if you are using the small wall mart lights:mrgreen:

 

[NewbReefer]

For now i will prolly stick with the Cheato until i can upgrade the refugium lighting, I have some cheato coming in the mail soon. would like to eventually try some Mangrove, it's suppose to be a very good phosphate eater.

 

[d.french]

i have mine under power compact, don't need anything to bright over mangroves mine been doing great. Chaeto works fine i just bought some mangroves to try out and still alive so i'm keepen em.

 

[NewbReefer]

I've heard that most people use a small PC for lighting which is prolly what i'll upgrade to when the time comes but im in no rush, between the Cheato and skimmer i should be fine, atleast for awhile.

 

[VAreef]

I have cheato and also some stringy dark green macro algae in mine. Not sue what the stringy stuff is but it doesn't grow as fast as the cheato. I also have some really cool deep red macro algae in the tank itself for color and nitrate absorbstion. The top of my fuge has pretty decent water flow while the bottom is somewhat low flow due to the baffles. It grows out a lot across the top so I am guessing it likes the higher flow. It may also just like the higher amount of light up there as well. Not sure on the lighting requirement but I found a cheap $20 T-5 dual bulb setup for mine at the LFS and it seems fine under that. Mine doesn't grow like crazy but I have a fish killing sally lightfoot that lives in the sump that thinks cheato is a tasty treat and it keeps it pruned for me. As for light timing I read somewhere that macro algae won't sex if it has 24/7 lighting? So I have been turning mine off while I am at work and turning em on when I come home giving about 12-16 hrs per day of light. I also read that can balance your pH but I have never seen any differance with it. I have really not been to picky about the sump and refugium as it seems to kinda work fine without me fusing over it. I do enough fusing over the tank to make up for it though.

 

[d.french]

deep red macro algae, got any pics would like to add some plants to aquarium i think it would look good.

 

[VAreef]

Here's a pic of the red macro algae. I completely forget the name of it but it looks really neat and most tangs won't eat it. It's grown out about 4-5" since I got it. Pay no attention to the dirty glass I really need to clean it.

 

[d.french]

thanks for pic, that would add nice color to tank.