refugiums

[fatsolomon]

can someone explain to me what the purpose of refugiums is?

[mainy999]

Refugiums serve as an area to acclimate new fish, or provide a hospital area for sick fish. My refugium has a few peices of live rock in it as well. I also use this as a breeding area for copepods ( to feed my mandarin dragonet).

[Getmuddy350]

To further expand mainy's post. A refugium is also a great place to put different algaes to help prevent bad algae outbreaks. It also serves as a "safe zone" for things such as pods, and beneficial bacteria, to allow them a place to breed where your fish and other varios critters won't get to them. A good refugium is pretty much a must in any reef tank.

[rottbo]

a ggod friend of mine uses his refugium to house his big angler away from the rest of his fish so they dont get eaten

[fatsolomon]

and a refugium is just an extention of the main tank like a sump?

[rottbo]

fro the most part yes but most people use them to grow food for fish i would never use one as a hospital tank because meds would be distributed throughout the whole tank

[fatsolomon]

it seems pointless then if it is really not that usefull

[rottbo]

its useful for alot of reasons the biggest is to grow food!!!!!!!!!

[dr_sudz]

I wanted to do a fresh water refugeum, mainly because the plants will help filter the water, taking up some of the nitrates and using it as food. keeping out alot of the algae problems, and helping oxygintating the water. All the benefits of a planted tank with out the plants in the main tank to get taken up by the fishes.

[fatsolomon]

how would one make one using a 10 gallon tank? someone i know (wink wink) has a few laying around and that same friend had a few pumps too.

[rottbo]

any tank will work i have seen a 200 gallon refugium on a huge reef tank

[fsc46]

can someone explain to me what the purpose of refugiums is?

It's used in salt water systems. It's a safe place for critters (food) to grow. It also helps reduce nitrates. Most grow hair algae in it so that the main tank will be spared. I suggest you look at reef sites if you want to learn more about them. In salt water systems it is a seperate unit than a sump.

[Nic]

my refugium was my only filter on my reef tank i used the eco system method miracle mud t

[Don4921]

It's used in salt water systems. It's a safe place for critters (food) to grow. It also helps reduce nitrates. Most grow hair algae in it so that the main tank will be spared. I suggest you look at reef sites if you want to learn more about them. In salt water systems it is a seperate unit than a sump.
what kind of food can you grow in saltwater?

[fsc46]

Not really sure but think of it this way... If the refugium drains into the main tank you could put breeding guppies in there and the fry would most likely end up in the main tank where your insert monster fish here: "oscar" can eat it. I might try this in the future but I would throw plants in there to help reduce nitrates. That why I'm on this other thread: plants? (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19156) this will decrease the number of water changes I will have to do.

[jrwagner]

Is there a tank to refugium ratio? that should be followed? like a 125g needs a 25 gallon refugium that kind of thing?

[Nic]

mine was i guess 40 gallon it held 60 pounds of mud might have been more i dont remember ill measure it later and post i have the formula somewhere too

[fsc46]

Is there a tank to refugium ratio? that should be followed? like a 125g needs a 25 gallon refugium that kind of thing?

I heard that the perfect refugium for all factors would be 3 times the size of the main tank. I don't know many that do this. Check out reef central dot com. It a salt water site that can give you the best/correct answers.

[Nic]

the more water the better but if you are talking the eco system method its 1 square foot of mud for 50 gallons of water... my sump is 30x20x18 thats what i used on my 90 reef the bigger the better cause of the total amount of water you add to the system