Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

I will be setting up a refugium in my new sump and am wondering what is best. Setting it up with a deep sand bed and Macro Algae or Live rock and Macro Algae, or both live rock and a deep sand bed. I am thinking that you really don't want a deep sand bed and then have live rock covering it all up, but I don't really know.

I actually don't recommend deep sand beds in smaller containers, like most sumps. They are better off in the display where they will receive the proper food input, etc. Beyond that, there is the issue with the infauna and surface area. If there is not adequate surface area, there won't be enough infauna/meiofauna to get the job done. Their numbers are reduced as it is, since diversity tends to wane over time. They also tend to avoid tank corners, literally. If you were to survey the sand bed, you'd get the most diversity away from the corners. Don't ask me why they do this, but they do. I'd be afraid that you'd eventually start having issues with it over time, due to all of this, and eventually have to get rid of it So, as far as my recommendation goes, I suggest smaller pieces of live rock, some rubble, and macroalgae (preferably Chaetomorpha--stay away from Caulerpa). If you don't like the thought of detritus settling down there, then make it a bare-bottom sump with some Chaetomorpha and lots of water motion.

The main reason I want the refugium is for nitrate removal, so if the sand bed won't do me any good for the most part, I will just go with the live rock and macro algae.