Corals in your refugium?

marco j · 12/03/2017, 10:44 AM

Good morning Reefers,

Random thought for the day. I am converting my 180g display to SPS,LPS, and Zoa only tanks. I have several Kenya’s and assorted leathers that I am going to remove. I also run a 75g DSB refugium with probably higher flow than most suggest.

I wanted to reach out to the community to gauge your recommendations whether it would have a negative impact on my system if I moved my softies there?

ATM pics attached

Thanks for the input!

skiingfast · 12/03/2017, 04:26 PM

Interesting idea. Do you grow Macro with the grow light? What will be done with it? Of course if flow is good and you have a light for the leathers it should work fine.

Mainly you are just taking your existing system and moving things around right? So what difference would it make.

marco j · 12/03/2017, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skiingfast

Interesting idea. Do you grow Macro with the grow light? What will be done with it? Of course if flow is good and you have a light for the leathers it should work fine.

Mainly you are just taking your existing system and moving things around right? So what difference would it make.

Basically, I am under the impression that sps always lose the battle between the corals and the last thing I need is a crappy leather to sting my acros or montis.

I just figured in stead of trading it away. Kind like how some people end up with fish in their sumps.

And yes I do have Chaetomorphia in the fuge, it doesn’t tumble though.

saf1 · 12/03/2017, 07:46 PM

I've seen Xenia so why not? Not sure how much they will export but they would do something I'm sure.

Sapelo · 12/04/2017, 08:27 AM

I spent over a year trying to kill some GSP in my refugium. I am sorry to report that it is still happy and healthy.
I think your plan will work just fine if my experience is any basis.

McPuff · 12/04/2017, 10:06 AM

Yes, you can certainly put softies and LPS into your refugium. They will actually help to filter the water as well. Plus, it'll make your refugium more interesting. Please post more pics of your system! Looks pretty cool!

urban_s · 12/04/2017, 10:18 AM

I have a few xenia in my fuge. They grow well...almost towell

billdogg · 12/04/2017, 01:00 PM

The downside will be the turpines released by the soft corals that might adversely affect the stonies. Run lots of carbon to help with that.

oldhead · 12/04/2017, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapelo

I spent over a year trying to kill some GSP in my refugium. I am sorry to report that it is still happy and healthy.
I think your plan will work just fine if my experience is any basis.

Want to kill it just give it to me. It just won't grow in my tank. Now after I move everything to my 110 build maybe it will change.

urban_s · 12/04/2017, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldhead

Want to kill it just give it to me. It just won't grow in my tank. Now after I move everything to my 110 build maybe it will change.

My GSP wont die...but wont grow any....

marco j · 12/04/2017, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapelo

I spent over a year trying to kill some GSP in my refugium. I am sorry to report that it is still happy and healthy.
I think your plan will work just fine if my experience is any basis.

This is really funny. Lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPuff

Yes, you can certainly put softies and LPS into your refugium. They will actually help to filter the water as well. Plus, it'll make your refugium more interesting. Please post more pics of your system! Looks pretty cool!

Thanks for the compliment. This is my first adventure into salt water and I’ve just now started to have growth. Sometimes I think my system was too clean to grow anything. These aren’t the best shots and it’s sloppy as can be right now. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions or suggestions on how to improve something. Especially if you see something screwed up. Lol

Edit: Having trouble uploading photos of course. Unfortunately only the crappy ones are uploading. Haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

The downside will be the turpines released by the soft corals that might adversely affect the stonies. Run lots of carbon to help with that.

This is the type of information I am interested in. Does this mean my sps will be at the mercy of my softies? If that’s the case, then I might as well get rid of them or put them in the display.

marco j · 12/04/2017, 09:56 PM

Here are some shots of the growth.

marco j · 12/04/2017, 10:01 PM

That last shot of how the Red montis looked less than a year ago.

marco j · 12/04/2017, 10:25 PM

And here’s a before and after of a frag of some hydnophora I picked up on Black Friday at my LFS. Took this current one just this second. Not too bad for only a little over a week and a half.

DesertReefT4r · 12/04/2017, 11:12 PM

I kept zenia and kenya in my fuge at one point. Did just fine and grew well, I managed to keep my LSF stocked with zenia that pulsed nicely until they had to tell me know more zenia on trade in.

McPuff · 12/05/2017, 10:52 AM

The display looks great. I like the rockwork. Take out that GSP before it gets onto other rocks though! :0)

marco j · 12/07/2017, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPuff

The display looks great. I like the rockwork. Take out that GSP before it gets onto other rocks though! :0)

Thanks. I plan on taking it out eventually. I had already moved that rock because it had already started to attach to the big rock in the tank. I️ had to scrape it off so it wouldn’t spread. And I’ve got a friend coming by tomorrow to pick up all the leathers I’m getting rid of.

jaking · 12/07/2017, 10:50 PM

Interesting idea, never thought about it. You must have some pretty good flow in there!

ca1ore · 12/07/2017, 11:31 PM

I actually run an invert/Fish refugium for animals that are not thriving in the main display. I suppose it's essentially a second display. Currently housing a large gorgonian that is irresistible to my regal angel and a bunch of leathers and frogspawn that are irresistible to my dwarf Angels. Plus a black tang that was on the short end of a zebrasoma beating.

marco j · 12/09/2017, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I actually run an invert/Fish refugium for animals that are not thriving in the main display. I suppose it's essentially a second display. Currently housing a large gorgonian that is irresistible to my regal angel and a bunch of leathers and frogspawn that are irresistible to my dwarf Angels. Plus a black tang that was on the short end of a zebrasoma beating.

This is what what I imagined my refugium would become if I continue down this road.

Last night I gave my friend all but three Kenyas and my toadstool which I don’t ever plan on getting rid of. I have a large rock covered in GSP that I will eventually give him as well.

Thanks everyone for the input. I guess I just figured it wasn’t worth the hassle if I couldn’t enjoy the corals in my display.

12/03/2017, 07:46 PM	#4
saf1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: California Posts: 2,259	I've seen Xenia so why not? Not sure how much they will export but they would do something I'm sure. __________________ -saf1 Current Tank Info: 210 gallon mixed reef

12/04/2017, 08:27 AM	#5
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	I spent over a year trying to kill some GSP in my refugium. I am sorry to report that it is still happy and healthy. I think your plan will work just fine if my experience is any basis. __________________ "When the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again." William Beebe Current Tank Info: 300 gallon DD, sps, Radion G3 Pros, etc. Too many fish and not enough coral...

12/04/2017, 01:00 PM	#8
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	The downside will be the turpines released by the soft corals that might adversely affect the stonies. Run lots of carbon to help with that. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

12/07/2017, 11:31 PM	#19
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	I actually run an invert/Fish refugium for animals that are not thriving in the main display. I suppose it's essentially a second display. Currently housing a large gorgonian that is irresistible to my regal angel and a bunch of leathers and frogspawn that are irresistible to my dwarf Angels. Plus a black tang that was on the short end of a zebrasoma beating. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

12/03/2017, 04:26 PM	#2
skiingfast Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 217	Interesting idea. Do you grow Macro with the grow light? What will be done with it? Of course if flow is good and you have a light for the leathers it should work fine. Mainly you are just taking your existing system and moving things around right? So what difference would it make.

12/04/2017, 10:06 AM	#6
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	Yes, you can certainly put softies and LPS into your refugium. They will actually help to filter the water as well. Plus, it'll make your refugium more interesting. Please post more pics of your system! Looks pretty cool!

12/04/2017, 10:18 AM	#7
urban_s Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 53	I have a few xenia in my fuge. They grow well...almost towell

12/04/2017, 11:12 PM	#15
DesertReefT4r Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 771	I kept zenia and kenya in my fuge at one point. Did just fine and grew well, I managed to keep my LSF stocked with zenia that pulsed nicely until they had to tell me know more zenia on trade in.

12/05/2017, 10:52 AM	#16
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	The display looks great. I like the rockwork. Take out that GSP before it gets onto other rocks though! :0)

12/07/2017, 10:50 PM	#18
jaking Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Florence, AL Posts: 50	Interesting idea, never thought about it. You must have some pretty good flow in there!