Couple nano questions

[Mykawl]

Have a 14 gallon innovative marine, the middle chamber in the back is my only open space and I’m wanting to make a mini refugium with the ChaetoMax light. Except I’d have to sacrifice the IM ghost protein skimmer, I’ve noticed after adding the skimmer my pH seemed to rise from 8.0 to 8.3... the aeration and gas exchange seems like too big a benefit to give up, any thoughts?

Tank has 1 GSP (won’t open) coral a tiny yellow watchman goby and 1 blue damsal
No clean up crew have had a really hard time finding any LFS only has giant turbos

Tank has finished cycling nitrates seem to be 10-20 (will be doing a complete water change tonight)

Don’t have any phosphate test kits I’m guessing that’s pretty necessary and should be my next step but for now there is fresh carbon and some phosguard .

Question is skimmer vs nicely set up mini refugium? Or any way of using both in this tiny tank?

 

[bluprntguy]

I’d keep the skimmer if it’s a choice between skimmer and refugium. A tiny refugium shoved into a small chamber just isn’t going to be be as effective as the skimmer.

They do make HOB refugiums if you want to look into something like that to expand the available space.

 

[Blitheran]

Hob refugium would be a great option, or in my tank I am doing a 10 gallon Nuvo fusion which is SPS dominate and I will be using my reef glass protein skimmer and Vertex 2.0 reactor as a refugium, kind of like a cheato reactor (yes I know it is way overkill, but the reactor is helping to increase my water volume).

 

[Mykawl]

So it seems skimmer is a must? and I’ll just have to go for DIY Chaeto reactor or HoB refugium, or guilt trip my dad to buy me a bigger tank so I have 2 free chambers : D so many options

 

[Mykawl]

That being said, what’s popular for HoB refugiums ? DiY Chaeto reactor would be ideal though and just looks so cool lol

 

[Blitheran]

So it seems skimmer is a must? and I’ll just have to go for DIY Chaeto reactor or HoB refugium, or guilt trip my dad to buy me a bigger tank so I have 2 free chambers : D so many options

Skimmers aren’t technically a MUST, but the PROS for outweigh the cons, so if you can do it either cheato reactor or Hob refugium will defiantly help and benefit the tank

Watch this video by BRS about skimmers which may help with your decisions

 

[Blitheran]

That being said, what’s popular for HoB refugiums ? DiY Chaeto reactor would be ideal though and just looks so cool lol

Two little fishies has a perfect reactor for cheato, and it is hang on the back so it can fit perfectly on a nano tank.

 

[uhgster1]

So it seems skimmer is a must? and I’ll just have to go for DIY Chaeto reactor or HoB refugium, or guilt trip my dad to buy me a bigger tank so I have 2 free chambers : D so many options

The skimmer is not a must but between a skimmer that obviously lowers your ph and a refugium that might or might not I’d stick with the skimmer. I had a Nuvo 10 that rocked, no refugium.

 

[bluprntguy]

Also, fwiw, doing 5 gallon water changes on a 14 gallon system, is a great way to export nutrients and it’s really simple.