Question

Would it be better to feed the fuge with dirty tank water or cleaner return water? or does it really matter?

 

Feed it with dirty water, the fuge wont operate its full capability with clean water going to it.

 

+1 Agree

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I feed mine filtered water and notice much less slime on my chaeto and get better growth now (did feed it unfiltered). I add a few pellets or flakes to the refugium twice a week to feed the pods. I prefer to control the bioload going to the fuge. Helps keep it clean and minimize detritus.

 

Agree that would work equally well, as a skimmer or conventional filtration does not remove Nitrates and Phosphates, the main food source for macro algae.

 

Unfiltered water

 

Agreed. My sump has the skimmer section first but it doesn't keep my algae from growing in the refugium.With that said I would probably not run GFO or other nutrient absorbing material before the refugium.
I guess to answer the O.P.'s question. No you don't want clean water entering your refugium if you mean stripped of nutrients.Filtered is a general term.The level/method of filtration is whats important.
I don't know too many reefers that have a problem with too few nutrients in the water and even if you had two seperate tanks run both ways the only difference would be how hard each of your methods works. For instance if you had the water running through GFO first then then Refuge you would exhaust the GFO faster and your macro would grow slower.Just as efficient overall but costs a little more.