refugium help

[ttboys]

I have just set up a 150g dt and now able to use my125g as a refugium, that will then dump into my 80g sump.
I need ideas on what to use sand ,mud, crushed gravel, bare bottom glass,,???...
live rock,
what should I use cheato, or other types of micro algea ?
how do I get pods growing in the refugium?????
any help appreciated
good bad experiences please share
thank you

 

[mnavick]

In my 90g sump I just have my skimmer with 2" of sand. All the other real estate is for future fragging if ever feel inclined.
In my 55g fuge its baffled at each end. 1st end is drain from 90g, middle is 6"sand bed/rubble rock and cheato, last chamber is return to DT. In the middle my pods grow crazy

 

[stingythingy45]

I've tried DSB and didn't like it in my fug.
Now I just have bare bottom with chaeto.

 

[Reeferer]

I would split is between dsb, refugium, and critic zone. You may also want to note the a refugium is best used when drained directly int the DT. If not your pods will most likely get skimmed up in the sump.

 

[bill120mph]

you may want to have both tanks go to the sump in case of any issues with pumps or returns. I have a 180 fuge connected to my 180 DT with a 50 gallon sump/fuge.. my 180 fuge is a DSB with grape algae and my sump fuge is live rock and cheato .. the 180fuge drains directly to the sump fuge wich goes to the return to DT. the sump fuge also has one of the DT returns going into it. the skimmer etc is in the other section of my sump feed by the other return from DT.

It is also nice to have them seperate for doing water changes, I can Isolate the 180 fuge do the water change than reopen it and the DT is not affected.