Reactors before or after refugium?

[reefinginBD]

I have decided to put the protein skimmer before the refugium but now, I am confused to whether I should put the reactors before the refugium as well? Like the carbon, gfo and all the other reactors. Should I put them before the refugium? Will that be better? I want the refugium to be the last chamber of the return pump.

 

[Dan_P]

I have decided to put the protein skimmer before the refugium but now, I am confused to whether I should put the reactors before the refugium as well? Like the carbon, gfo and all the other reactors. Should I put them before the refugium? Will that be better? I want the refugium to be the last chamber of the return pump.

Why should it matter about the order of devices?

 

[JNalley]

I have decided to put the protein skimmer before the refugium but now, I am confused to whether I should put the reactors before the refugium as well? Like the carbon, gfo and all the other reactors. Should I put them before the refugium? Will that be better? I want the refugium to be the last chamber of the return pump.

it doesn't matter, as Dan has indicated above, if you want them all before the refugium put them before the refugium. However, if I was you, I would maybe pick a method of export and stick to it, running both GFO and a Refugium is sort of redundant...

 

[reefinginBD]

Why should it matter about the order of devices?

I just don’t want any of the copepods to be sucked up by any of the machines. I also don’t want the algae or anything to clog the pumps of the reactors and all.

 

[JNalley]

I just don’t want any of the copepods to be sucked up by any of the machines. I also don’t want the algae or anything to clog the pumps of the reactors and all.

don't worry about copepods, they're so small they have 0 effect on a pump and a pump won't damage them...

 

[reefinginBD]

it doesn't matter, as Dan has indicated above, if you want them all before the refugium put them before the refugium. However, if I was you, I would maybe pick a method of export and stick to it, running both GFO and a Refugium is sort of redundant...

I was just giving examples of reactors likes carbon and all.

 

[reefinginBD]

don't worry about copepods, they're so small they have 0 effect on a pump and a pump won't damage them...

Okie thank you so much!

 

[Dan_P]

I just don’t want any of the copepods to be sucked up by any of the machines. I also don’t want the algae or anything to clog the pumps of the reactors and all.

OK, sounds like you have an idea about what to avoid. Pre-filters on pumps would give you more options. As for saving copepods lives, I have no quick answers.

 

[reefinginBD]

OK, sounds like you have an idea about what to avoid. Pre-filters on pumps would give you more options. As for saving copepods lives, I have no quick answers.

Ah I see. I just have one more question, do you use filter socks or roller mats? Do you think the roller mats are worth it?

 

[Dan_P]

Ah I see. I just have one more question, do you use filter socks or roller mats? Do you think the roller mats are worth it?

i filter water leaving the aquarium (100 micron) and have a coarse filter on the inlet of my recirculating pump to keep out big material, I feed water from a manifold. This means each device and reactor receive the same water.

 

[reefinginBD]

i filter water leaving the aquarium (100 micron) and have a coarse filter on the inlet of my recirculating pump to keep out big material, I feed water from a manifold. This means each device and reactor receive the same water.

Ah I see thanks!

 

[mdb_talon]

I would always put them prior to the refugium. Cheato, detritus,and other things that may make their way through are good at clogging pumps and/or the media. Sure you can use prefilters on each one (and what I would generally do anyway), but why make it so they clog and need cleaned/replaced more frequently when you can just have any reactors prior to the refugium and make it less of a concern.

As for pods depending on the pods you are talking about many will be large enough to get stuck in mechanical filtration and some types of media like gfo. Its not the end of the world, but again if the goal is maximizing their population then no reason to not put that stuff upstream of the refugium.

 

[reefinginBD]

I would always put them prior to the refugium. Cheato, detritus,and other things that may make their way through are good at clogging pumps and/or the media. Sure you can use prefilters on each one (and what I would generally do anyway), but why make it so they clog and need cleaned/replaced more frequently when you can just have any reactors prior to the refugium and make it less of a concern.

As for pods depending on the pods you are talking about many will be large enough to get stuck in mechanical filtration and some types of media like gfo. Its not the end of the world, but again if the goal is maximizing their population then no reason to not put that stuff upstream of the refugium.

Ok thank you so much!

 

[Spare time]

I have mine after the refugium but it does get clogged sometimes from detritus from the refugium area which can be annoying. I really doubt much microfauna makes it from the refugium to the display in any refugium scenario.

 

[reefinginBD]

I have mine after the refugium but it does get clogged sometimes from detritus from the refugium area which can be annoying. I really doubt much microfauna makes it from the refugium to the display in any refugium scenario.

Ohk thanks!