Does anyone have a freshwater refugium?
- Thread starter Warrensmentor
- Start date
Refugiums are extremely functional but just add to the overhead and upkeep. Its like adding another aquarium rather than another filter. Not saying don't do one but for people like myself who have... LOTS of individual tanks to maximize on the potential of a refugium would require allot of forethought as they don't really fit right into your typical sump in a way that is functional and adds meaningfully to the filtration process.
Conflict include mechanical and traditional biological filtration. Traditional biological filtration needs air, so that would have to be After the refugium. Mechanical filtration would remove valuable mater from the water to feed your inverts. so again would have to be placed after the refugium, now you are talking about cleaning out the refugium allot as it gets the raw end of your filtration ordeal. Ultimately planted tanks rarely use sumps as they conflict with the chemistry and inherant design. I think adding a refugium is like adding a planted tank to your system. You can do it and make it work but will have some serious considerations and upkeep I expect.
Good luck keep us posted.
Conflict include mechanical and traditional biological filtration. Traditional biological filtration needs air, so that would have to be After the refugium. Mechanical filtration would remove valuable mater from the water to feed your inverts. so again would have to be placed after the refugium, now you are talking about cleaning out the refugium allot as it gets the raw end of your filtration ordeal. Ultimately planted tanks rarely use sumps as they conflict with the chemistry and inherant design. I think adding a refugium is like adding a planted tank to your system. You can do it and make it work but will have some serious considerations and upkeep I expect.
Good luck keep us posted.
Oh a drip system, how I would love that. I've been watching videos of drip set ups all week. I just don't think it's feesible for me right now. The bathroom where I'd like to hook up is across the across the family room, and probably most discouraging, I'll be moving in a year and will be upgrading tanks to something like an 8x4x2.5 so I'm pretty sure I don't want to spend all the money and labor for it on this temporary, small tank. Water changes only take me 15 mintues once a week on my 120, but I guess I'm looking to use plants to soak up nitrates, and increase my water volume to smooth out any spikes that may come after feedings/pooping as my rays get bigger.
I drew up what I have to work with and added a few question marks to get some thoughts on ways I could optimize the refugium/sump if I go ahead with it.
I drew up what I have to work with and added a few question marks to get some thoughts on ways I could optimize the refugium/sump if I go ahead with it.
Ime co2 only becomes an issue when your talking a densely planted high light tank... Then it's mainly to prevent algae growth... It would be fairly easy to utilize a fw algae scrubber setup if this becomes an issue. Your also focusing on your livestock not the plants... So I would be leery of wanting more co2 ... But your logic is sound. You'll just have slower plant growth and may end up with some algae growth even with utilizing plants. Drip systems are great if you can set one up... But if you can't live plants are the next best option to accompany your water changes and keep nitrates low to non existant. But you'll still want the water changes to keep your tds low. Most my tanks are high bio loads and utilizing plants has made a significant improvement to my overall water quality. Knock on wood but my retics are no where near as hard on a bio level as I anticipated.. I'm just use to dirty fish lol.
If you can't do a drip ( ATM my father won't let me or my husband tap into the water lines to do it, stinks but can't really complain) the next best thing is live plants and solid water changes.
Sorry so long winded but I've seen only benefits to live plants in my systems since I've been adding them over the past few years, and maintaining a heavily planted setup as well.
Good bio/ mech filtration
Live plants to utilize nitrates
Drip system
Stacked IMO would be the perfect setup. But 2 out of 3 isnt shabby. And IMO the first 2 are the way to go if you can't afford to do all 3. Since manual water changes are just part of the hobby in general to begin with.
The only other suggestion I would make is if you do submerged plants is add a loach to the "refugium" as snails are almost always on live plants, and a snail eater would be an asset. You can also dip or chemically go at snails.. But if you miss one it doesn't matter and I prefer to be chem free as possible.
I also know a few people who keep lungfish in their refugiums as clean up fish as well.
Also seen deep sand bed style few refugiums with black worms ect... The options are essentially endless..
If you can't do a drip ( ATM my father won't let me or my husband tap into the water lines to do it, stinks but can't really complain) the next best thing is live plants and solid water changes.
Sorry so long winded but I've seen only benefits to live plants in my systems since I've been adding them over the past few years, and maintaining a heavily planted setup as well.
Good bio/ mech filtration
Live plants to utilize nitrates
Drip system
Stacked IMO would be the perfect setup. But 2 out of 3 isnt shabby. And IMO the first 2 are the way to go if you can't afford to do all 3. Since manual water changes are just part of the hobby in general to begin with.
The only other suggestion I would make is if you do submerged plants is add a loach to the "refugium" as snails are almost always on live plants, and a snail eater would be an asset. You can also dip or chemically go at snails.. But if you miss one it doesn't matter and I prefer to be chem free as possible.
I also know a few people who keep lungfish in their refugiums as clean up fish as well.
Also seen deep sand bed style few refugiums with black worms ect... The options are essentially endless..
1. Filter sock
2. Bio mech
3. Coarse sponge
4. Basic fine gravel
5. Assorted stem plants and maybe some crypts
6. Coarse sponge
For a basic idea.. When amm is converted to nitrates it utilizes oxygen.. So the water will be co2 dense again when pushed into the refugium. Then pushed back into the main tank surface agitation should facilitate o2 absorption again. Like a sponge the molecules can only hold so much total but will constantly flux with the torbidity... But shouldn't ever be over oxygenated or over carbonated.
As for what pump ect I would use... No clue .. New to actually picking a pump ect myself.
You'll be pulling your nutrients from the water mainly not from debris... Not 100 percent utilization but it should make a large difference in nitrates.
2. Bio mech
3. Coarse sponge
4. Basic fine gravel
5. Assorted stem plants and maybe some crypts
6. Coarse sponge
For a basic idea.. When amm is converted to nitrates it utilizes oxygen.. So the water will be co2 dense again when pushed into the refugium. Then pushed back into the main tank surface agitation should facilitate o2 absorption again. Like a sponge the molecules can only hold so much total but will constantly flux with the torbidity... But shouldn't ever be over oxygenated or over carbonated.
As for what pump ect I would use... No clue .. New to actually picking a pump ect myself.
You'll be pulling your nutrients from the water mainly not from debris... Not 100 percent utilization but it should make a large difference in nitrates.
Here is how we converted a salt tank into a fresh it has 2 -30g sumps plumbed together one side I made into bio material. The other side I put a grid in just above the water level to hold pothos the heater goes under the plants and so does carbon bags then there are the return pumps. We mounted a 48" florescent fixture above the sumps on a timer the top 2 trays in the black box have a course sponge on top and floss below to catch debris before the bio balls this is in my 250 gallon
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It came with the tank I bought we drilled the holes and attached the PVC pipes w trickle holes in them to get better water distribution over the bio balls. This was just trying to make the he's set up we could w what we had to work with and I think it came out nicely
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Some aquatic plants grow tall and can also grow out of the water. They would get CO2 from the atmosphere so the splashing around wouldn't affect them. The problem is though you will need a light source for the plants growing out of the water. But a remedy to this is grow low light plants. Try with some houseplants or you could try bamboo. Bamboo is supposed to be grown emerged anyway.
