Algae Reactor vs Refugium: Which Is Better?

After 15 months, i've sold my algae reactor in favour of going back to a refugium. So why did I do that and what are the pros and cons of each...?

[lunes-]

I dont have sump, so just using a breeding box as hang on the back refugium.Great video👍

[thereefinrican]

I like the refugium better. I have the light right over my refuge area and have little spill over with the light on my Red Sea max 650. 👍🏻

[dirtydogsanddiesel]

Cracking video. I had refugiums for 10 years or so until i took a break from the hobby for 4 years. When i came back i bought a Ea 1200 tank and got the alr1 with a sicce pump. Have to say i have been impressed, however if i had a sump big enough for carbon, phos, skimmer and return I would probably have a refugium again but i dont. My biggest gripe about the tank is the small sump.

[bradsimpson]

By 2:30, I already knew they weren't for me. My rule, after too many hard lessons, is that I don't want to spend more time maintaining the tank than I do enjoying it, and I'm less likely to neglect maintenance if it's quick, simple, and I get to stay mostly dry. I bet that pulling apart an algae reactor isn't terribly difficult or time-intensive, but I'm equally willing to bet tuning a light on an algae reactor and yanking out a handful of chaeto every so often is quicker and easier. And if it saves me some money(and having to find yet another plug on my power bar), that never hurts - coral frags aren't cheap!

[alfst]

Unfortunately I don’t have room for a refugium soI had no choice but to have a reactor, I find it works well and often see my fish darting about when the lights are off, obviously chasing after copepods, granted the don’t grow that big and so they do often get swept out if the reactor and into the tank.

[ttravreefsaquatics]

Nice video, I really love my sump personally, it’s been doing great for me😎

[thereefaholic]

I wound up ditching my Reactors as well. I found that if you have any issues in your tank such as cyano or dinoflagellates, Or any other bacterial issue, the algae reactor does a nice job collecting it. And when it does this the cheato doesn’t grow

[drdurso]

Dear Dork: this is EXACTLY the type of vid that will REALLY help reefers. To me, this type of vid is pretty much the opposite of the BRS B.S. that floods YT. BRS isn't doing anyone any favors. Well, maybe they help the rich. Like in this vid - you're not pushing (hard) the $500 reaactor. I love watching your stuff. Thank you and happy new year!

[natalbreefing]

Thanks again for the vids man. I love my pax bellum in the nano and I think of I upsized the tank I will probably spend the cash on the biggest unit and dry plumb it because for me, the chaeto everywhere and the algae in the sump is too painful... I think this hobby is split into 2 types. The “I want certain fish and coral” crew and the “I want a certain level of maintenance and will keep livestock accordingly” crew. I am the second 🤣.

Thanks again mate.

[parkerbenz]

Setting up a 20l sump to hold all of my equipment, which will be below my display. It will then be pumped up, above the display to a 40g breeder that will be a fuge. I had the option to use a 75g as a fuge instead of the 40g, but decided it might be a bit much.

[fuffoon]

I just bought the big Grotech for a very good price. Not cheap, but far less than its retail price. The refuge space in the sump is rock. I thought about changing but everything is stable so I'm going to keep the sump as it is. Light spill over and easy placement is why I chose reactor. While I am curious about its effect on Ph, Nitrates and Phosphates, my biggest curiosity is if I will see a visible difference in nuisance algaes and diatoms.

[rudra]

"keeping water, not fish and corals"- Alex
This is so profound.. And so true

[richyowen]

I have both reactor as a booster so it's a great idea to use refugem and a algae reactor

[Dvearncombe]

Thanks for sharing your experience. How have you found unwanted algae growth in your sump now (as the light isn't well contained)?

[tom-andrethomsen]

You can't really expect a CFL light refugium to compete with an LED light algae reactor, even if identically sized. I refer you to BRS, that have several vids about this exact topic.

[oz]

Great video! Could you have the skimmer first and refugium second in that peninsula sump?

[rudra]

Have you got an update on this? How is your refugium? Tunze has a algae reactor now that looks incredible and easy to manage

[Kenny_Edmonton]

I have an AIO waterbox 50.3 and I’m looking at an algae reactor as I have no sump. I could do chaeto in one of the AIO chambers. Or get an hob refugium. I don’t know what way to go

[Dvearncombe]

What were the No3 and Po4 levels in your bigger tank (where you struggled to get good cheato growth)?

[christiancorals]

iam going to be setting up my first algae reactor next week I do no that you have to run it on a reverse cycle when my lights go off in my main tank then the algae reactor light comes on but dose reactor still needs to be running constantly