ATS and refugium on one tank

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Hey everyone,

I am curious on people's opinions on having an algae scrubber and a refugiums on a tank?

Does anyone have experience with this and if so do you recommend it?

My logic here is that 1. I obviously want to keep nutrients as low as possible and 2. Also have the added benefit of having a massive reproducing pod population.

Any advice is appreciated thanks.

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

@MERKEY ?

MERKEY · Jun 14, 2021

I mean why not lol

Just watch that you don't bottom out your nutrients.

I didn't start with a refugium and by the time I needed one I couldn't grow anything in it as things were so out of whack, so I deckded to start an ATS instead of reducing with nopox or other chemical remover.

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

On that note you don’t need a refugium for pods. Rocks with lots of small pores works. Or they have these things at algae barn

2" Cubes

Designed for Ammonia and Nitrite removal but we've found that they also make an excellent habitat for Copepods. One MarinePure Sphere has the same surface area as 1,350 plastic 1.5" bio-balls. See below for detailed information.

www.algaebarn.com

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

MERKEY said:
I mean why not lol

Just watch that you don't bottom out your nutrients.

I didn't start with a refugium and by the time I needed one I couldn't grow anything in it as things were so out of whack, so I deckded to start an ATS instead of reducing with nopox or other chemical remover.

Yeah that's fair. Hmmm, would you recommend starting with an ATS then? The problem is the ATS I have are rated for up to 80 gallons and my tank is 120 but I only have 7 fish hahah. So idk if that size of ATS plus skimmer would be enough or if I should add the refugiums for the pod action

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Reefing_addiction said:
On that note you don’t need a refugium for pods. Rocks with lots of small pores works. Or they have these things at algae barn

2" Cubes

Designed for Ammonia and Nitrite removal but we've found that they also make an excellent habitat for Copepods. One MarinePure Sphere has the same surface area as 1,350 plastic 1.5" bio-balls. See below for detailed information.

www.algaebarn.com

I heard about these but some people say they leach aluminum where the Brightwell ones do not. Or am I wrong?

MERKEY · Jun 14, 2021

Zbutcher said:
Yeah that's fair. Hmmm, would you recommend starting with an ATS then? The problem is the ATS I have are rated for up to 80 gallons and my tank is 120 but I only have 7 fish hahah. So idk if that size of ATS plus skimmer would be enough or if I should add the refugiums for the pod action

I'd go big export and them feed to keep nutrients up.

So start all 3 and feed to keep them happy.

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

Zbutcher said:
I heard about these but some people say they leach aluminum where the Brightwell ones do not. Or am I wrong?

I just did an ICP test a few weeks ago and didn’t have any. Will be running another one in about a week so I’ll keep an eye on it

Hypnotoad · Jun 14, 2021

I accomplish this accidentally by growing as much turf algae as chaeto in my fuge.

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

Before and after cleaning the front glass of my refugium

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Reefing_addiction said:
I just did an ICP test a few weeks ago and didn’t have any. Will be running another one in about a week so I’ll keep an eye on it

How long have you had them in there?

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Hypnotoad said:
I accomplish this accidentally by growing as much turf algae as chaeto in my fuge.

My girlfriend does the same. Functionally a giant ATS hahahha

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Reefing_addiction said:
Before and after cleaning the front glass of my refugium

Very nice man. I just hope I have a spot that I can fit all the equipment in the sump plus a refugium

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

Zbutcher said:
How long have you had them in there?

Ummm A few months I think I’d have to go see when I got them lol

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

Zbutcher said:
Very nice man. I just hope I have a spot that I can fit all the equipment in the sump plus a refugium

Here is some more compact designs for ATS units

Santa Monica Filtration

www.santa-monica.cc

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Reefing_addiction said:
Ummm A few months I think I’d have to go see when I got them lol

Hahhaha no worries buddy.

Zbutcher · Jun 14, 2021

Reefing_addiction said:
Here is some more compact designs for ATS units

Santa Monica Filtration

www.santa-monica.cc

Interesting!

I have 2 ATS right now. Only one is running the other broke and the replacement part didn't come for a long time so I bought this one in the interim.

I COULD run both but that's probably overkill. I think running one plus a refugiums if I can fit it and a skimmer is probably overkill but I'd rather have not enough nutrients then too much.

Reefing_addiction · Jun 14, 2021

Zbutcher said:
Interesting!

I have 2 ATS right now. Only one is running the other broke and the replacement part didn't come for a long time so I bought this one in the interim.

I COULD run both but that's probably overkill. I think running one plus a refugiums if I can fit it and a skimmer is probably overkill but I'd rather have not enough nutrients then too much.

Not enough is not good either

Leads to outbreaks of other stuff (dinos) and you def don’t want that