AIO nano fuge worth it?

[ZachP]

Wanted to get some thoughts on nano refugiums either in the media basket or HOB. I'm wondering if it is actually worth it for nutrient export. I could be very wrong, but it seems like that small amount of chaeto wouldn't really do much. Just researching for future reference for my nuvo fusion 20. Let's hear everyone's thoughts or experiences with these!

 

[TNT32D]

I have a nuvo 20 and had it hooked up to the nano cube sump with a eshopps s-120 skimmer. Always had trouble with nitrates, even with carbon dosing.

Had these parts lying around so did a little experiment and built a small hob refug with a no name filter/eshopps curve.

It's been little over two weeks and nitrates have only risen a little for me.

 

[ZachP]

I have a nuvo 20 and had it hooked up to the nano cube sump with a eshopps s-120 skimmer. Always had trouble with nitrates, even with carbon dosing.

Had these parts lying around so did a little experiment and built a small hob refug with a no name filter/eshopps curve.

It's been little over two weeks and nitrates have only risen a little for me.

Hmm interesting. Maybe I'm wrong and they do work good then. That looks good too, pretty easy to set up?

 

[AwildcatsZ]

I have the CPR hang on back refugium for my 29 gallon aquarium. Personally I love it. I cannot speak for how it effects my water quality, but I would assume by adding more volume alone it helps keep parameters stable. It also adds to the flow of the tank, especially surface flow.

The one thing I do notice is that my Pod population is AMAZING! I see those little guys scurrying all over my live rock and all over my macro algae in the fuge.

For my lighting I rigged the small LEDs that my aquarium hood came with. Plenty of light.

 

[cloak]

Being that the same results can be achieved without one, I wouldn't even waste the time or the money on a refugium that small. Like you mentioned above, Chaeto needs a lot of room to grow if there's going to be any significant impact on your parameters. Pods might be a different story, but if you don't have a specialized feeder such as a Mandarin then they don't really serve a purpose IMO, they're just there.

 

[TreyC2010]

I had a jbj magnet light on the back of my NUVO 10. Worked great for pods and I also ran the reactor with gfo. Never had an issue with nutrients and I honestly slacked on my water changes. Still managed to keep some encrusting montis in there.


Edit: I will be doing the same thing to my wife's NUVO panorama.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

Being that the same results can be achieved without one, I wouldn't even waste the time or the money on a refugium that small. Like you mentioned above, Chaeto needs a lot of room to grow if there's going to be any significant impact on your parameters. Pods might be a different story, but if you don't have a specialized feeder such as a Mandarin then they don't really serve a purpose IMO, they're just there.

I agree with you that you can achieve similar results without one, but if you do not have the room/finances to plumb a sump it serves as an inexpensive way to increase volume, especially on smaller systems.

As far as the pod population goes, I see this as a huge benefit. While I do not have a mandarin, my other fish LOVE when one of the pods gets blown off the rock and into the water column. Pods also feed on algae and detritus within the rock. They get those hard to reach places. IMO they are a vital part of any aquariums ecosystem.

I would also be curious to know how it affects the pH of the aquarium. Like most do, I run the lights opposite of my display lighting schedule. With being a smaller volume of water in all, this should help to keep the pH stable (relatively speaking). If I have the time after the holidays I may test my pH with my current lighting schedule and then run a week without the refugium light and see how the pH is affected.

 

[cloak]

I agree with you that you can achieve similar results without one, but if you do not have the room/finances to plumb a sump it serves as an inexpensive way to increase volume, especially on smaller systems.

As far as the pod population goes, I see this as a huge benefit. While I do not have a mandarin, my other fish LOVE when one of the pods gets blown off the rock and into the water column. Pods also feed on algae and detritus within the rock. They get those hard to reach places. IMO they are a vital part of any aquariums ecosystem.

I would also be curious to know how it affects the pH of the aquarium. Like most do, I run the lights opposite of my display lighting schedule. With being a smaller volume of water in all, this should help to keep the pH stable (relatively speaking). If I have the time after the holidays I may test my pH with my current lighting schedule and then run a week without the refugium light and see how the pH is affected.

While having a refuge will increase the water volume, having something as small as a HOB one is not going to amount to much. The success of the aquarium is not going to rely on that extra gallon or two. The numbers just aren't there.

I've yet to see any pod make a pile of detritus or a patch of algae disappear in a BB tank. What they might be contributing to the tank is just so minute that it doesn't even count IMO. If your feeding your fish, invertebrates and corals prepared foods then the pod population being a viable food source has already been compromised. Put it this way, they could all disappear from my reef tonight and the tank or the inhabitants wouldn't miss a beat.

I haven't checked my pH in probably over a decade and haven't had any problems. (no refugium) People tend to overthink this parameter IMO.

 

[jackiemon]

I have a nuvo 20 and had it hooked up to the nano cube sump with a eshopps s-120 skimmer. Always had trouble with nitrates, even with carbon dosing.

Had these parts lying around so did a little experiment and built a small hob refug with a no name filter/eshopps curve.

It's been little over two weeks and nitrates have only risen a little for me.

Hi! Can you post some pictures of the inside ?

Tia!