Ideas for Refugium for a Red Sea Reefer 170

jhatfield · Jan 26, 2018

I'm considering adding a refugium to a Red Sea 170 and was curious what others have done with the limited amount of sump space (photos would be great.) Preferably, I'd like to make use of the stock ato for this and keep everything in the cabinet sump area.

pugcrush · Jan 26, 2018

jhatfield said:
I'm considering adding a refugium to a Red Sea 170 and was curious what others have done with the limited amount of sump space (photos would be great.) Preferably, I'd like to make use of the stock ato for this and keep everything in the cabinet sump area.

Yeah, I was going to do the same with the stock ATO since alot of reefer owners are doing the same. Have you checked out the reefer owner thread? With the 170, that's about all your limited to b/c of the space.

Ryan T.L. · Jan 26, 2018

jhatfield said:
I'm considering adding a refugium to a Red Sea 170 and was curious what others have done with the limited amount of sump space (photos would be great.) Preferably, I'd like to make use of the stock ato for this and keep everything in the cabinet sump area.

The ATO or outside the sump, I drilled mine on the 350...it takes talent with that thin glass tbh but then again I'm horrible with power tools.

During my recent trip to Japan a fish store owner had a 5g tank next to a similar system to the Reefer 250. The fuge tank was filled with black mud about a third and looked like a bonsai gracilaria forest. it almost looked as nice as the display. It was fed from the tank by a peristaltic pump and it sounded like he did not have a constant flow between the tank and the fuge, the water would be exchanged only every couple of hours or so. Not sure how effective it is but it looked very pretty.

danreefman · Jan 26, 2018

I used the medium eshopps refugium. Fits with all stock pipes to. I just got a 5 gallon eshopps ATO and put it on the side

lacrosseboss18 · Jan 26, 2018

What are you adding it for? Nutrient export, pods???
Depending on your needs and finances:

1) like said use the ATO
2) You could get an macro reactor, (arid or skimz...) I think they can go inside the sump and still keep it in the stand.
3) Hang on back refugium and put it on the left side of your sump.
4) Move the sump over an inch to the middle and build a stand and put the sump above it. (Don’t know if this is even possible)

lacrosseboss18 · Jan 27, 2018

Also had another idea
Get a trigger system ATO container or rubber made container. Drill a hole on the side close to the top. The use PVC to make a 90 degree turn and it will gravity feed right into the sump.

Orm Embar · Jan 27, 2018

I use the Red Sea ATO, and use the main chamber as a refugium (chaeto + $25 LED grow bulb on $50 gooseneck + $2 plastic canvas mesh from Michael's to prevent chaeto from going to return pump held in place with 2 feeding clips). I could fit a small skimmer right in front of where the filter sock used to be (I took mine out), like an IceCap K2-50 or AquaMaxx skimmer (WS-2?), but since macro alone seems to do very well I run a skimmerless system. A Tunze skimmer would also fit there.

I like to keep things simple, if possible!

Newt0075 · Mar 26, 2018

Orm Embar said:
I use the Red Sea ATO, and use the main chamber as a refugium (chaeto + $25 LED grow bulb on $50 gooseneck + $2 plastic canvas mesh from Michael's to prevent chaeto from going to return pump held in place with 2 feeding clips). I could fit a small skimmer right in front of where the filter sock used to be (I took mine out), like an IceCap K2-50 or AquaMaxx skimmer (WS-2?), but since macro alone seems to do very well I run a skimmerless system. A Tunze skimmer would also fit there.

I like to keep things simple, if possible!

Could you post pictures of your set up?

DHill6 · Jul 16, 2018

Took a piece of plexiglass, drilled a lot of holes, sectioned off a chaeto fuge in front of sock. Works great. Plexiglass is cut tight to fit, no need to glue and is removable if I want to change to no fuge. Dosing nitrate, reading of 0-.03 p04 at the moment. Might be working too good.

DHill6 · Jul 19, 2018

Well, jumping ship on the chaeto, if definitely plugged up my skimmer and sent the P04 and N03 into non existence. Going to try the Red Sea colors program and changed to their blue bucket salt.