How to start refugium

[Alok]

I have a 100 gallon stock tank as my sump for a new tank.

 

I would like to put a rubbermaid container in it as a refugium. What's the best way to get this started. Should wait until my tank has cycled before putting anything in it? I have like rock/sand in the tank and it seems to be in pretty good condition (low ammonia/nitrites)?

 

Alok

[ChrisS]

I have a 100 gallon stock tank as my sump for a new tank.

 

I would like to put a rubbermaid container in it as a refugium. What's the best way to get this started. Should wait until my tank has cycled before putting anything in it? I have like rock/sand in the tank and it seems to be in pretty good condition (low ammonia/nitrites)?

 

Alok

 

Any substrate and rock that you're putting in your fuge you can go ahead and add. As for the algea you can add that once the ammonia, nitrites are stable and consistantly reading 0.

[Alok]

Thanks. Other than substrate, are there other items I should be planning to add?

[Caribbean Jake]

like Chris said, you will need substrate, then you can add rocks, and algae... everyone around here uses cheato and works good for refugiums. Copperpods and amphipods together with ghost shrimps will develop once the cheato is in place. For substrate you can use rubbles, aragonite, or even sea mud, they all work fine. Check some websites that sell refugiums, they also have the substrate suggestions, you don't have to buy it from them but at least know what to look for when setting up.