to start or not to start?

i recently made my own refugium out of 1/4 inch acrylic...well my question is how should i start it???.....ive read that i should try running both my wet dry and my refuge together but i dont have the room! should i cycle my fuge with sand,water and fish before i connect it to the main tank?..or is it necessary that i run both the wet dry and the fuge simultaneously???

 

Good question.
I would cycle the fug with everything you plan on keeping in it. If it's a true fug with sand rock and algae I would get your sand and rock going, cycle it with a small filter like a penguin or something. Get your nitrites and ammonia to zero then add some algae. From there I would add it into your system and your done.

J

 

To speed it along you could use sand and rock from your display tank and you would not need to cycle it

 

good input guys!....the only thing i am concerned with is shocking my tank...i have read on another post that there is a chance of shocking my tank is this true? also how much sand should i use???

 

4 Inches of sand is sufficient. Best to add sand and live rock from your existing tank! As mentioned above, you don't have to cyce the tank then.