Refugium Questions

[micstarz]

I was reluctant to start a new thread but it seems that my other thread died...

Anyway I am going to collect my custom 5 gallon triangular prism refugium tomorrow.

It is just a triangular (prism, not pyramid) tank that has equilateral 10" sides with a triangular base piece. It is 15"tall (flooding safety measures) but by tank is 12" tall. At 12.5" there will be a hole with a pipe coming through, so when the water fills up it will overflow though this pipe back into my tank.

I may be putting my (crap) skimmer into the fuge, as well as my macroalgae, locally collected "kelp" and some caulerpa. Maybe some live rubble and LR, and possible inverts like Saron Shrimp and a few compartments for live food (artemia, shore shrimp, hermits, crabs) What else should I have? I am thinking of leaving the DSB out because I don't want it to go wrong and produce sulphur dioxide and nitrites...

What else could I put in it? Mangroves? And also what sorts of animals to make it less boring? Maybe a goby or a shrimp?

What about a bag of bio rings haning at the top, or one of those sheets hanging above your tank that you pump water onto and it grows algae that removes nitrates?

So far I have:
Caulerpa
Unknown Macroalgae
Thin hair-like strands of "kelp""
Live food compartments
Possible Skimmer

Also, what flow rate should I be aiming for? I am using natural sunlight during the day and a 24W fluorescent light for 4pm onwards until 11 (parents won't let me do 24hr lighting)

If there are interesting creatures that I can keep, I might end up just dividing the top section from the bottom section with macroalgae at the top and animals (such as garden eels if they fit) at the bottom.

 

[micstarz]

The unknown macroalgae is actually grape caulerpa.
What I want is feather caulerpa

 

[micstarz]

Just home

Inside

Off with the protective layer!

It fit perfectolly.

First fill - no leaks.

With sand.

Feather Caulerpa

Crushed Coral and medium-fine sand

An artsy pic of the overflow/gravitational return

Feather Caulpera

 

[bromie88]

you have an arctank i set up one of those for my GF. she wanted 'nice' fish.

how come its triangular? a square model with sides as wide as the triangle (at the widest point) would be more spacious, so you would have more water volume.

i'd also add more substrate too it. you idealy want about 4" of substrate, to help with de-nitrification. and to give the critters livin in the refugium to multiply. some LR rubble wont hurt either. add some of the sand from the tank to it too. to give its a kick start. you need some in there so they can multiply. remember, 0x1000= 0

 

[micstarz]

Hi...

It's triangular because it's a ninja tank - I'm hoping that my parents won't see it (even though its in the living room) for at least a week or so, because then it makes it somehow easier and I get into less trouble. It also looks much less conspicious, and I need the space in front of it...waterchange space for buckets, space to introduce new stuff, smashing snails for my mantis, a rubbish tub, all my meds and fish food, nets, tongs etc...

Yeah, I will add more substrate. Should I add fine crushed coral or "sand"? And would it be better to add some bio rings that are from my HOB?

 

[micstarz]

Oh yeah what's an arctank?

 

[bromie88]

its a model of aquarium. its the one in your first pic on the right of your fuge. i got my GF one as a present cos she wanted one.

heres a link.
http://www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/col..._73_260.html?gclid=CNOZu-jg15gCFQsMGgod3D0_bQ

its probably just a tank that gets made by a company and sent to major manufacturers for them to put their name on. nice tank though.

i think sand would be best. hence Deep Sand Bed, but im in the same situation as you at the moment. gonna add sand and possibly mangroves to my fuge though. and leave the grape caulpera in the tank for some greenary

 

[Eoibio]

Woah a triange tank AWSOME

 

[micstarz]

its a model of aquarium. its the one in your first pic on the right of your fuge. i got my GF one as a present cos she wanted one.

heres a link.
http://www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/col..._73_260.html?gclid=CNOZu-jg15gCFQsMGgod3D0_bQ

its probably just a tank that gets made by a company and sent to major manufacturers for them to put their name on. nice tank though.

i think sand would be best. hence Deep Sand Bed, but im in the same situation as you at the moment. gonna add sand and possibly mangroves to my fuge though. and leave the grape caulpera in the tank for some greenary

Oh, right...

Anyway I'm not too confident about the DSB. I might add more medium sand (2mm diameter particles) and fine fine reptile sand. How does this sound?

Woah a triange tank AWSOME

Thanks