Can you make a display refugium, or does it have to be hidden?
You certainly can make your refugium on display for everyone to see, but if you are like me, you will want it to look as good as your main tank. This will create more work for you, but as long as you don’t mind that it can certainly add another topic of conversation when people are viewing your tank. Overall there are really are no drawbacks to adding a refugium to your tank, whether it is a fish-only (FO) or a reef system, except for maybe the time and cost of setting one up (if you consider that a drawback). They can be very beneficial to the overall health of your tank by not only adding a food source for your fish and corals, but also by providing a very natural filtration to your tank. I have listed a few links with discussions along with a few recommended books if you want to find out more about refugiums and the benefits they can provide for your aquarium.
