Refugium

It is really up to you.

Common things to have in a refugium are:

Live rock rubble
Sand either a deep layer or a shallow layer
Other Macro Algae
some critters like snails, sea cucumbers, etc.

I personally have in my refugium, Cheato and other macro algae, a thin layer of sand, some live rock rubble, a few snails, a sea cucumber, some red sponge that for some reason does better in the fuge than in my display and a ceramic castle to please my 4 year old daughter :).
 
Thanks Steven, I do have live rock then about 1inch of sand and 1 cup of cheato and 1 cup of something else called feathers or something. The sand is starting to brown a little and thats why I was wondering what else I should put in there.
 
If it is a new tank you will see some brown algae growth. This should die off as it looses it's nutrient source. Pretty soon you will have so much cheato you will not be able to see anything including a ceramic castle if you have one!!
 
some people do caulerpa in their refugium but it can go sexual....some people also do mangroves. If you are running cheato, you don't really need anything else in there.
 
Check these threads for some ideas for what you can do with a refugium

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=16473&highlight=display+refugium

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=32247&highlight=display+refugium

Ashlar and Serk have many varieties of Macro Algae in their systems so hopefully they can give you an idea of other macros besides Cheato.

Most of the time if you are trying to have a fuge to reduce nitrates cheato is the best and it usually out competes other macros.
 
why do some of you run your refugeium lights opposite your main tank? I am adding a refugium next to my display tank and will have them on the same settings.... is there a problem with that?
 
The reason for the reverse photo-period is that photosynthetically active algae produces O2 and consumes CO2... This raises the O2 level, but also keeps the pH from dropping as much at night...

When your main tank is lit, the corals and algae in it are performing this function, so if you don't take some other action, your pH can take a drastic dive during the main tank's lights out. If your refuguim is lit opposite (Or longer) than the main tank, this helps soften the pH dive when the main lights go out on your main tank...
 
sounds good.... do you all do reverse? I was not planning on doing that because I am going to have my fuge next to my tank.
 
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