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Refugium Education

Reef aquaria have gotten a lot more impressive over the years. Much of this owes to a greater awareness of, and emphasis on, the base of the natural marine food chain. This necessarily has also made reef aquaria a bit more complicated. Why? For the same reason we leave out a food dish, instead of a whole, open bag of food, for our dog. Control! At the lower base of the food chain—the very bottom, actually—are the primary producers. This role is played by various autotrophic bacteria, algae and plants. At the upper base of the chain are certain (usually tiny) intermediary organisms ranging from protists to microcrustaceans (e.g. copepods). In this model, the autotrophs “make” their own food energy and biomass from inorganic sources of energy (e.g. light) and inorganic carbon (e.g. carbon dioxide) respectively; the intermediary critters feed on this food source, transferring it up the food chain as they are consumed by predators such as small fish. Small fish get eaten by larger fish, and so on… The most amazing thing about all of this, especially in aquaria, is the efficiency with which nutrients are recycled. Waste products (excess nutrients originally sequestered by the primary producers) that are generated by the “consumers” along the way are all rediverted back into autotrophic pathways. This is where the refugium comes into play. The refugium is an auxiliary tank on your main, display tank. It serves as a sort of refuge for both primary producers and primary consumers (i.e. intermediaries) such as pods. There, desirable and beneficial macroalgae are cultivated out of the reach of large, gluttonous herbivores such as tangs. Pods proliferate there too, safe from the constant predatory pressure of small fishes like damsels, gobies, etc. Even so, as the pods reproduce, they drift out of the refugium into the main tank to continuously feed fishes, corals, and so on. As the macroalgal bed grows to maximal carrying capacity, it is harvested and either discarded or (better yet!) fed out as a nutritious live veggie for fish and invert herbivores in the main tank. In this section you will learn how a refugium planted with macroalgae improves aquarium water quality and compete with bad algae, how refugia support maximal pod populations and how to smartly install/operate refugia in your own aquarium system.

72 Posts

Bulletproof Refugiums: Biodiversity

Welcome back to our discussion on building bulletproof refugiums! In the last few weeks, we have received a lot of questions here at
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Biodiversity

Bulletproof Refugiums: Water Flow

Welcome back to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, we have gotten so many great questions on refugium design
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Water Flow

Bulletproof Refugiums: Maintenance

We're glad to have you back at the AlgaeLab for another post in our series on building bulletproof refugiums. It should come as no
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Maintenance

Bulletproof Refugiums: Equipment

We are excited to have you join us for this series on building bulletproof refugiums. It shouldn't come as a surprise that we receive a
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Equipment

Bulletproof Refugiums – Lighting

Welcome to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! It should come as no surprise that we field a lot of questions about how to
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums – Lighting

Building Bulletproof Refugiums: Substrate

Welcome back to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, we get a lot of questions on which products and methods
Read More about Building Bulletproof Refugiums: Substrate

Bulletproof Refugiums: Macroalgae

Welcome to the next part of our series on how to build a bulletproof refugium. At AlgaeBarn, a lot of our customers have asked what the
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Macroalgae

Bulletproof Refugiums: Livestock

Welcome to the next part of our series on how to build bulletproof refugiums. At AlgaeBarn, we get a good number of questions from reef
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: Livestock

A Closer Look at Clean Sea Lettuce

AlgaeBarn is committed to doing our part to help keep the planet clean and green. It's why we're talking about the ways we can keep a
Read More about A Closer Look at Clean Sea Lettuce

Bulletproof Refugiums: The Basics

Welcome to our series on building bulletproof refugiums! At AlgaeBarn, it is no surprise that we hear a lot of questions about
Read More about Bulletproof Refugiums: The Basics

Ocean Pollinators

We have some very exciting news to share about ocean pollinators! Marine researchers in France have just released exciting news that
Read More about Ocean Pollinators

All about Tisbe pods

Recently, we have been hearing a lot of questions about the unique harpacticoid copepod, Tisbe biminiensis. Tisbe pods are a super
Read More about All about Tisbe pods

Galaxy Pods in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack

The Ultimate Galaxy Pack is our newest live feeding system designed to provide the most balanced nutritional profile. AlgaeBarn has put
Read More about Galaxy Pods in the Ultimate Galaxy Pack

What is the Best Macroalgae for a Reef Tank?

Marine aquarists and reef keepers are using macroalgae in their tanks as a source of natural filtration more frequently. Many reef
Read More about What is the Best Macroalgae for a Reef Tank?

Should I Add Snails to My Refugium?

If you guessed that a refugium is a wordplay on refuge and aquarium, you guessed right! A refugium is simply a tank for plant and
Read More about Should I Add Snails to My Refugium?

To Tumble or Not to Tumble?

If you decided to use a refugium for filtration of the reef tank than you most likely know how you want to stock it. But, if you’re
Read More about To Tumble or Not to Tumble?

What Copepods are Best for the Reef Tank?

One of the most fascinating parts of this hobby is the colossal variety of creatures that will take up residence in the reef tank. This
Read More about What Copepods are Best for the Reef Tank?

Is Sea Lettuce a Good Macroalgae for the Refugium?

If you are looking for a way to control nutrient levels in the reef tank, macroalgae is a great way to do it! You may have heard about
Read More about Is Sea Lettuce a Good Macroalgae for the Refugium?

How Long Does Live Phytoplankton Last?

Phytoplankton is a crucial part of the ocean’s food web. So, it only makes sense that phyto should also be a crucial part of our
Read More about How Long Does Live Phytoplankton Last?

What Light is Good for a Refugium? 

Back in the early days of the hobby, there were not many choices when it came to lighting. The basic options for light fixtures were
Read More about What Light is Good for a Refugium? 

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