Refugium question

[~reefchik~]

I totally don't get what this refugium is supposed to be doing.   

There's cyano growing in there now, along with bryopsis.  There are clumps of crap floating on the top and it's just disgusting looking.

Is that normal?  I mean, my display tank looks great, no problems.  Is that the point? 

I want to put the stuff out of the little new frag tank back in there on a rack (just some kenya tree and anthelium frags) and get rid of the temporary frag setup I had, as it's done what I needed it to do, and since I took almost all my soft coral colonies to Gerber last week and traded them in for new branchy live rock so I'll have places to stick new frags in the future. 

[HUNGER]

ya most sump dont look perrty after about 2 or 3 months when every thing gets up and running

[cyberwollf]

Agreed. As long as the crap grows down there it's all good. That's why most people run warmer lights over fuges. It encourages algea growth to eat your extra nutrients. However, if you have crap floating you might want to use a filter sock, just to help out on detrius and nitrates

[~reefchik~]

Ok, if you all say so 

I don't think I can do the filter sock thing, the way this sump is constructed, but I did stuff a bunch of good old filter floss down into the overflow coming off the fuge and dumping into the return pump/skimmer section.  At least I know nothing nasty is going to go back to the DT. 

I think I've been fooled by looking at photos of people's *new* refugiums - nobody ever shows their Garbage Dump Refugium off, do they?

[cyberwollf]

I dont have cyano in mine.  Probably just an indicator of excess nutriuents.  what kind of skimmer do you run?

[~reefchik~]

Vertex IN-100 skimmer.