I've heard of alot of guys setting up "refuge" sumps, ones that grow algae, and corals for slat. But for a tropical sump that will be used for a monster fish tank is there any advantage to having this type of refuge sump rather than a regular bio-ball type sump? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I'm just trying to figure out this stuff prior so I don't get it wrong from the get go.
Refuge - vs- Bio-ball Sump
- Thread starter soulFish
- Start date
Not a dumb question, try doing a search on this forum for it too.
Several people on here are running them. Mostly floating and fast growing plants to use up the excess nitrates (as long as you have excess nitrates). You need to provide a light source for the refugium and gain a balance so that you don't create an algae farm instead. Most people don't have enough room to do this properly.
Dr Joe
.
Several people on here are running them. Mostly floating and fast growing plants to use up the excess nitrates (as long as you have excess nitrates). You need to provide a light source for the refugium and gain a balance so that you don't create an algae farm instead. Most people don't have enough room to do this properly.
Dr Joe
.
They are mostly for keeping nitrates down in saltwater aquariums. You could save yourself some money and set up a drip system instead.
The bio-media (bio-balls are overpriced, and not that high in surface area) sump is necessary for your fish to live. The refuge just makes it easier to keep from water changes as often, but as stated a drip system is much easier.
Finally a thread where I can have some quality input. Ok I have several and will only use refugiums. My first reef had a refugium and then I ep[anded to my fish only salt tank with a refugium and am slowly tossing my canisters.
Now On a refugium, the idea was first to have an area where you could grow copepods and such to constantly feed your grazing fish like mandarins and some angels. Well it works perfectly for that and cutting down nitrates
I am the ling of high nitrates so this was my only solution. I also have one on my brackish tank and will soon be adding one to my frech water tanks
The plan on the fresh water as like the salt and brackish is grow the live plants in the refugium using a sand substarte (this will keep waste from getting trapped under gravel) thus I dont have to gravel vac. Fresh water palnts grow slow so I will add alot of live plants to start, run minimum of 956 watts of light 245 hours a day so I do not have to deal with ph swing. You can also using floatiing plants becaus ethe flow is not that rapid and the baffles in the refugiu will slow the flow more.
With a fish only or even a reef the algea (caluarpa or cheato) I prefer caluarpa but that is another debate. The caluarpa is grows nice and fast under 24 hour lighting once again and it sucks up most of my nitrates. It is nice to have about 10-15 ppm of nitrates to keep the algea growing. Now you will get an algea bloom of red algea at first but as the cluarpa grows it will cut the bad algea down. Just deal with it for a little while, its fine.
Some say a skimmer is counter productive in a refugium set up but I dissagree. I like my water to be clean clear and healthy that is why I use a HUGE skimmer. The algea (caluarpa) grows so wuickly and once every 3 weeks I take half a 5 gallon buckets worth to my lfs and they give me $40.00 for it. Alot more people are going with refugiums so the lfs has a shorter supply.
So in closing I would like to say Get yourself set up with a refugium and you will never look back to the Bio-Ball (nitrate factory) set up again. I know some will hate me for saying anything negative aout a regular sump but you need to try the refugium. Good luck.
Now On a refugium, the idea was first to have an area where you could grow copepods and such to constantly feed your grazing fish like mandarins and some angels. Well it works perfectly for that and cutting down nitrates
I am the ling of high nitrates so this was my only solution. I also have one on my brackish tank and will soon be adding one to my frech water tanks
The plan on the fresh water as like the salt and brackish is grow the live plants in the refugium using a sand substarte (this will keep waste from getting trapped under gravel) thus I dont have to gravel vac. Fresh water palnts grow slow so I will add alot of live plants to start, run minimum of 956 watts of light 245 hours a day so I do not have to deal with ph swing. You can also using floatiing plants becaus ethe flow is not that rapid and the baffles in the refugiu will slow the flow more.
With a fish only or even a reef the algea (caluarpa or cheato) I prefer caluarpa but that is another debate. The caluarpa is grows nice and fast under 24 hour lighting once again and it sucks up most of my nitrates. It is nice to have about 10-15 ppm of nitrates to keep the algea growing. Now you will get an algea bloom of red algea at first but as the cluarpa grows it will cut the bad algea down. Just deal with it for a little while, its fine.
Some say a skimmer is counter productive in a refugium set up but I dissagree. I like my water to be clean clear and healthy that is why I use a HUGE skimmer. The algea (caluarpa) grows so wuickly and once every 3 weeks I take half a 5 gallon buckets worth to my lfs and they give me $40.00 for it. Alot more people are going with refugiums so the lfs has a shorter supply.
So in closing I would like to say Get yourself set up with a refugium and you will never look back to the Bio-Ball (nitrate factory) set up again. I know some will hate me for saying anything negative aout a regular sump but you need to try the refugium. Good luck.
soulFish;665441; said:
I'm from Bernal Heights....(hint,hint)........Hello.......As for the freshwater refugee, the simplest form would be to float some pond plants in the sump....Of course a light source would be needed, the whole thing will look like a cool science experiment.....There are some pix of the freshwater refugiums here and on some other popular sites(p-fury).....What size tank and type of fish are you planning on???
A local, hello Bernal Heights. So far the only items I have are the 90 Gal main tank and a 29 Gal acrylic with no baffels. So I would need to place and construct the baffels, pump, etc. Since I'm also building a custom stand, the area the sump would go in is flexible at this point. I'm almost thinking of building the stand after the sump. Maybe thats backwards, but thats what I was thinking. Let me know if I'm wrong.
The floating plants, sounds like a good "easy" idea putting a small lamp in the cabinant it no biggy. I just need to understand where the baffeles need to be glued in, then figure out how big the pump needs to be, etc. It's all new to me and sounds a bit greek. But I'm reading alot, and getting some of it, but some stuff goes over my head. I'm the kinda guy that needs to see it to understand it.
AS far as fish, something medium sized. But it has to be a weird fish, I never liked the "normal" stuff
The floating plants, sounds like a good "easy" idea putting a small lamp in the cabinant it no biggy. I just need to understand where the baffeles need to be glued in, then figure out how big the pump needs to be, etc. It's all new to me and sounds a bit greek. But I'm reading alot, and getting some of it, but some stuff goes over my head. I'm the kinda guy that needs to see it to understand it.
AS far as fish, something medium sized. But it has to be a weird fish, I never liked the "normal" stuff
soulFish;665851; said:
Being this is /\/\onster Keepers, I'm guessing you want something along the lines of predatory maybe...Bottom dwelling favorites are Bichirs....6th Avenue Aquarium on Clement always has a nice selection and helpful people....Too bad Nippon closed, although their prices were through the roof, their professionalism and cleanliness made up for it.... Right now I have a 100g with a lonesome 9 inch Midas....Nothing can really live with him in the tank, he'll kill it....I keep him because although is the meanest thing to swim, he still allows me to pet him.....Maybe something along the lines of a big cichlid is cool for that 90g, you will not get bored....
Go to your lfs and ask to see a refugium and study it, if possible take pictures. That will give you a good place to start, I have a channel going down the front side or left side wichever way you look at it and that is where I put my return pump so there is alot of room for me other stuff.
This is the initial setup I will get more of it as it is now tomorrow to help you out on visuals