Refugium

Reefnoobie12 · Apr 14, 2015

How would you guys recommend setting up a refugium, I have a 3 chamber sump, in the first chamber I have the drain running into filter mesh because my filter sock couldn't keep up with the water flow and I've had better luck with that. In the second chamber I have my protein skimmer, this is where my ATo, as wel as phosban reactor flows into, in the 3rd chamber I have my return. In the back overflow I have some more filter sponges and such because the tank was extremely dirty when I took over so I am trying to clear it up. Their already is a light below probably bright enought to grow chaeto but I'm not sure where I would put it as well how it would not get stuck in the pumps. Above my razor nano covers the overflow with enough light to grow chaeto as well. Any opinions ?

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Scout · Apr 14, 2015

Use the middle chamber, set up all your equipment to the first chamber with the drain. Then use the middle for chaeto and some live rock, use the last chamber for media and return pump.

acbaldwin · Apr 14, 2015

What Scout said. You could toss the skimmer in the last chamber, but some people prefer the dirty water to hit skimmer before fuge, and some skimmers are finicky about changing water levels like in the return section.
You could do the fuge in the first section, but then it'd catch all un-screened filth, and if something took a trip down the drain (fish, etc.) it might be more difficult to get them out.
I'd throw a screen in front of the return pump section too, so little bits of chaeto don't clog up your pump. That is a constant problem for me right now.

loppnessmonsta · Apr 14, 2015

DSB or Mud in the fuge

Reefnoobie12 · Apr 14, 2015

Hmm I think it would be tough to move the skimmer! I could try to move it to the last section, the first section wasn't that well done so it pretty much blocks the whole thing so that's not much of an option. And what kind of screen do u guys mean in front of the return?

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Reefnoobie12 · Apr 14, 2015

If I tried making the first section a fuge it might be possible, but I think I would have to only have chaeto because it would be to difficult to mud or sand down there without it all pretty much destroying the water in the tank for a while

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Scout · Apr 15, 2015

I would advise against sand or mud in the fuge, your sand bed in your display tank should be enough. I keep a power head in every chamber of my sump. I don't want anything to settle, if detritus settles your going to get phos and nitrates. Keep everything suspended so your skimme, chaeto, fish and clean up crew can get at it.

Scout · Apr 15, 2015

Also I would advise against running any sort of mesh nets or filter socks for a long period of time, if you block off your refugium to your return pump..... There is no way for pods or micro organisms to get sucked up into your return and put into your display tank. The definition of a refugium is a safe, unpredatorized location for any and all organisms to live.

acbaldwin · Apr 15, 2015

Scout said:

That's a good point. Maybe large screen (~1/8" gaps), or even eggcrate, would get most of the pump-clogging pieces.

I run a super dirty tank and specifically have zones that are straight up detritus for pods, but I don't know if that method would really work unless you had tons of macros. I intentionally keep my nitrate at 15ppm and Phos at .5-1ppm so it might not work for everyone

Reefnoobie12 · Apr 15, 2015

Awepsme thanks guys I'm going to make my middle chamber my refugium with a little led over the top

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Refugium

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