HOG installation and refugium

[Vendetta82]

Hello, I'm installing a hog 1x today on my moderately stocked 75g fowlr that I feed 1/2 a cube per day. No skimmer, just a canister filter with carbon and small hang on back refugium with chaeto. My nitrates are 20-30 and phosphate test shows 0. I have no nuisance algae on sand or rocks, just occasional greenish film on glass but I got the hog in hopes that I could bring my nitrates down and be able to add a few more fish. My question is should I keep the refugium running for a bit (essentially until the scrubber (I hope) becomes efficient enough that it's starving the chaeto) or take it offline as soon as the hog goes in? I'm worried that where the fuge is keeping phosphates so low already I wont get good growth in the hog and it won't take off. Thanks

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

Your phosphate is probably being kept low by your rock, which would fill up in a year or so.

Get the HOG1x growing first. Don't forget to cover 2/3 of the lights with the black cloth, and, when slime covers the white surfaces inside, take it to the sink and toothbrush it clean so that green hair can attach.

[Vendetta82]

Thanks! Just to make sure I understand, keep the fuge going for now until the hog is growing algae well? How will it use the phosphate in the rock if I'm not detecting anything in the water with my kit?

[SantaMonica]

Yes.

The reason you can't test it, is that the rock is absorbing it.