Nano Cube Refugium?

Hey 3reefers, Been doing a little research on refugiums and Nanocubes and It seems that alot of people are using the middle chamber as a refugium and removing the carbon and bioballs bags. This would be perfect for farming pods for my fish, I just personally don't know what I would have to do :

Do I just remove the sponge/carbon/bioballs and insert live rock rubble + bottled cope pods + special lighting and call it a day or is it more complicated than this?

Thanks in advance

 

Refugiums are pretty simple, though I would add sand to your list and some macro algae. Also add a few sand stirrers.

 

Thank you Rocketman! I hear that I should replace the bioballs slow because they have beneficial bacteria that I shouldn't just replace right away. I'm thinking that next week I'll remove the sponges/carbon/bioballs and put some sand, some LR rubble, macro algae, cope pods, a light that will fit in the chamber, maybe some small bristleworms.

I already have livestock in my tank, will messing with the sump in the back and replacing things have any effect on them? Also, since i'm removing the carbon + bb is there anything i should do to help filter the water or is the LR on my main display all it needs?

 

I didn't realize you were already set up and running. Definitely replace things slowly. Bioballs house bacteria that perform key things in the filtration of the tank. If you remove them all at once and don't have enough of what else performs that function then you will go through another mini cycle of the tank and your existing livestock will suffer.

I would recommend:

- Get some live sand in and don't remove the bioballs.

- Put in some live rock rubble too, if it will fit.

Wait a couple weeks.

- Remove some bioballs and replace with more live rock rubble

Wait again

- Repeat

 

Will do. In the meantime, as I slowly replace the bioballs weeks at a time, will copepods still grow if I add them to the back chambers?

 

Copepods will grow anywhere there is food and refuge. So will amphipods.

 

hmm, maybe I could make a "copepod condo" with some cheato and lr rubble and some pods in it in the sump without actually having to make a refuge?

 

I don't believe you need to make a special refugium just for PODs.

If you want to grow/have Chaeto, then you'll need a light. I have an Exotica LED stunner strip attached vertically to the back of my JBJ Nano. Provides more light along the entire water column than one shining from the top. Grows like crazy!