Refugium Maintenance

An established refugium requires very little maintenance, yet establishing in advance a plan of attack for the continuing care of your refugium will help keep the experience trouble-free. A refugium is basically a refuge from predation. This article will lay out the general guidelines for care of this wonderful addition of natural filtration.

  1. Lighting and Flow

    • A refugium can be as simple as a low-flow, and somewhat isolated, area in the aquarium. In this case, the only light-based maintenance would be to monitor the age of the tank bulbs. However, most refugiums have their own independent light source. A small piece of dated masking tape hidden in a stand or canopy can be a simple tool to help indicate when it's time to change the bulb. Inspect the bulb socket periodically for salt creep and deterioration. For those that incorporate a reflector, it will need to be wiped clean of salt creep as well. Also, inspect the wall socket, and any timers in use, with the same regularity for salt creep. It is a good idea to monitor the water going in and out of the fuge to make sure it stays subtle. The movement of plants and substrate within the fuge can help determine whether the water has become turbulent, and if this is the case, the flow should be immediately adjusted.

    Baffles, Plumbing and Pumps

    • For sump-based refugiums it's a good idea to periodically inspect the baffles for obstructions. For most refugiums, the plumbing should be inspected as frequently as possible. First, visually inspect the lines and the pump area for leaks. Second, inspect the drain on the tank and any standpipes for foreign substances that might block flow and lead to a possible overflow and disaster. The pump should be removed and cleaned, ideally every month.

    Substrate, Critters and Pruning

    • Every six months it's a good idea to inspect the substrate and add a detrivore kit. The inverts these kits provide will move through your sand and consume decaying material as they keep the sand aerated. Some of the plants and macro algae may actually start to overgrow the refugium. These should be pruned back. In other cases, the amount of macro may not be meeting the aquarist's needs, and like the detrivore kit, more can be added.