How to start a fresh water refugium
- Thread starter jcm412
- Start date
There's not really any need for a fw refugium. Don't ask me why, but supposedly only SW "need" (even if) them. I mean, I guess you could, I've seen a few around here, but in all actuallity, I don't see a reason to, other than maybe using the refugium tank as a tank for fish that can't coexist with the fish in the main tank, but you still want to keep them in the same water. I guess that would also double as a grow-out tank for fish that are too small to put with larger, more aggressive fish. I've also seen FW refugiums with almond leaves just to get the blackwater extract without having to have the leaves in teh actual tank where it may look akward. IDK, it's totally up to you. I've seen most built like sumps, but instead of the main chamber filled with bioballs, its just empty with substrate. A 3 chamber "sump" design would work best ithink, the first chamber an input hose that goes to the bottom and lets the water rise up and over the first wall into the refugium and then flows over into the return pump. IDK, just what I've seen.
Im doin a sump now with a small ref. for some potted plants to help remove some nitrates. A ref. is also good for keeping or breeding feeders if its big enough.
If you were already planning to go to the trouble & expense of the fuge with lights, you might as well just do an algae scrubber instead. Unless you planned to display the fuge tank too... If its just going into a hidden sump I think the algae scrubber would be a more efficient use of space & much cheaper.
There's no reason you can't put an algae scrubber in the sump or wet/dry... Best place for it anyway.
I think hes wanting to put stuff in it that will alter the water chemistry without looking akward in the tank, like the almond leave thing in the earlier post. I say go for it, it couldnt possibly hurt anything. You could also keep some cool inverts and plants in there. Just get some good lighting, some kind of plant substrate and plant some easy-to-grow plants in there. Red cherry shrimp and livebearers would do well in a planted refug. Some babies might get sucked into the tank though.
Sure you don't "need" a refugium... but you don't "need" a sump, a wet/dry, a canister or even an HOB... but each has benefits one may wish to offer their tank...
　
In my opinion a refugium is a far better usage of sump space than a wet dry. At best, a wet dry turns water with ammonia into water with nitrate... at best, a refugium turns water with ammonia into pollutant free water...
　
Suggesting a refugium has no benefit in freshwater is simply not true...
Following is a diagram I recently drew up for my own use...
　
　
Any plants will work in the refugium chamber... though your best bet is a hardy, fast growing low light plant. Being hardy is important because as the plants die they biodegrade and add to the organic pollution in the tank, hardy plants have less die off. Fast growing plants work best because it takes energy to grow and energy comes (partially) from waste/food taken in from the water. Low light plants work best because they rely more on water for their nutrients and less on light/photosynthesis.
　
I suggest looking into pond plants meant for shaded areas. Though many people have successfully used things such as Java Moss (or any similar moss), Hornwort, Lucky Bamboo and many other aquarium plants…
　
Substrate is not needed for the function of a refugium, though some plants may require or benefit from it. If you do use substrate be sure to use a media between the refugium and the pump that keeps substrate out of the pump.
　
In my opinion a refugium is a far better usage of sump space than a wet dry. At best, a wet dry turns water with ammonia into water with nitrate... at best, a refugium turns water with ammonia into pollutant free water...
　
Suggesting a refugium has no benefit in freshwater is simply not true...
Following is a diagram I recently drew up for my own use...
　
　
Any plants will work in the refugium chamber... though your best bet is a hardy, fast growing low light plant. Being hardy is important because as the plants die they biodegrade and add to the organic pollution in the tank, hardy plants have less die off. Fast growing plants work best because it takes energy to grow and energy comes (partially) from waste/food taken in from the water. Low light plants work best because they rely more on water for their nutrients and less on light/photosynthesis.
　
I suggest looking into pond plants meant for shaded areas. Though many people have successfully used things such as Java Moss (or any similar moss), Hornwort, Lucky Bamboo and many other aquarium plants…
　
Substrate is not needed for the function of a refugium, though some plants may require or benefit from it. If you do use substrate be sure to use a media between the refugium and the pump that keeps substrate out of the pump.