Do reef hobbyists over thinks thing? Equipment etc?

That is the main purpose of a refugium, but it has to be pretty big for it to be effective. The extra 5 gallons the CPR aquafuge provides just hasnt done the job for me. Ive had a hard time getting the macro algae to grow any over the past 3 months, lit for 16 hours/a day.

 

extra 5 gallons would probably be effective for a 40G tank thats holding maybe 30 - 35 gallons of water, mine! My tank has 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates, macro algae in my tank probably would have a hard time growing, though I do have 2 shaving brush and they seem to be doing OK

 

I'm not sure where you're going with the too much equipment thing. The issues you're having now are not caused by equipment. I can understand your frustration, though. You successfully beat the hair algae. Cyano in itself is easy to get rid of. Ich, on the other hand, not so much. Just because you had one tang in the past that didn't have ich, doesn't mean that the next one won't. That's just chance. It has nothing to do with a detritus buildup.

It doesn't do any good to preach about quarantine now, but I would consider QT'ing all of your fish before you get a bigger tank going. I QT all of my big fish. I can't afford to replace them, and I don't want the stress of sick fish. Been there, done that.

Now you're faced with the decision between the ever popular let them fight it off technique, or quarantine and treat.