Refugium and algae scrubber

[Franco323]

Ok great do you know if I could run a Zeolite reactor with a refugium?

 

[Crabs McJones]

What you think of a zeovit reactor ?

Never ran zeovit so I dont know much about it.

 

[ca1ore]

Ok I understand so basically it’s one or the other.

Yes ..... and no! ATS, macro 'reactor' and chaeto refugium all basically do the same thing. ATS is the most space efficient; refugium the broadest in terms of benefits. I run both ATS and chaeto refugium - it's about nutrient export. If the ATS is sized to be able to remove all produced nutrients, then a chaeto refugium is unnecessary; and vice versa. It the ATS is not sized adequately (and it's hard to be precise) then a chaeto refugium can be helpful. FWIW, when I experimented with adding a chaeto reactor to my system, it proved to be not necessary.

 

[Franco323]

Yes ..... and no! ATS, macro 'reactor' and chaeto refugium all basically do the same thing. ATS is the most space efficient; refugium the broadest in terms of benefits. I run both ATS and chaeto refugium - it's about nutrient export. If the ATS is sized to be able to remove all produced nutrients, then a chaeto refugium is unnecessary; and vice versa. It the ATS is not sized adequately (and it's hard to be precise) then a chaeto refugium can be helpful. FWIW, when I experimented with adding a chaeto reactor to my system, it proved to be not necessary.

Ok so usually how big does a refugium have to be

 

[ca1ore]

Depends on what you have in mind for it. If, in furtherance, of this discussion, it's to be used solely as a chaeto growing space and you are not running ATS, then I'd shoot for something on the larger size ..... say 10-20% of display.

 

[lion king]

What size tank are we talking here? For me running a flow through sump with a refugium never panned out, I attribute it to; too much flow. Algae scrubbers work well but are frankly a pita; I hate the maintenance, the waterfall noise, and the diddleling to get the flow right. Algae reactors are the bomb, for me; the only draw back is getting one large enough for large tanks in excess of say 125-150g.

 

[Franco323]

What size tank are we talking here? For me running a flow through sump with a refugium never panned out, I attribute it to; too much flow. Algae scrubbers work well but are frankly a pita; I hate the maintenance, the waterfall noise, and the diddleling to get the flow right. Algae reactors are the bomb, for me; the only draw back is getting one large enough for large tanks in excess of say 125-150g.

I have a 180 gallon standard glass tank eurobraced 3 panel starfire glass the tank is still sitting in my living room I got the tank about a month ago I haven’t plumped the tank yet because I’m buying everything before plumping the tank

 

[Franco323]

What size tank are we talking here? For me running a flow through sump with a refugium never panned out, I attribute it to; too much flow. Algae scrubbers work well but are frankly a pita; I hate the maintenance, the waterfall noise, and the diddleling to get the flow right. Algae reactors are the bomb, for me; the only draw back is getting one large enough for large tanks in excess of say 125-150g.

So I either have the choice of going with the sump or a algea reactor and just using my refugium section for my protein skimmer since it’s a lot bigger then my protein section I currently have my protein skimmer in the algea reactor I actaully wanna use would be pax bellum n24

 

[Franco323]

What size tank are we talking here? For me running a flow through sump with a refugium never panned out, I attribute it to; too much flow. Algae scrubbers work well but are frankly a pita; I hate the maintenance, the waterfall noise, and the diddleling to get the flow right. Algae reactors are the bomb, for me; the only draw back is getting one large enough for large tanks in excess of say 125-150g.

 

[lion king]

Yeah the pax bellum is top of the line, able to handle large tanks, but pricey. If it's in your budget, that's what I would do. Enough rocks and flow with a properly or one size up skimmer, and one of these would be the perfect filtration setup for me.

 

[Franco323]

Yeah the pax bellum is top of the line, able to handle large tanks, but pricey. If it's in your budget, that's what I would do. Enough rocks and flow with a properly or one size up skimmer, and one of these would be the perfect filtration setup for me.

Yeah it’s either that pax bellum or a new sump with a bigger refugium with a kessil led light for chateo growth

 

[markfmvl]

I have both on my 90. I have an inexpensive led grow fixture mostly red with some blue. Grows cheato well. the alge scrubber is a DIY with four led soft white bulbs. no skimmer by the way. so they can co-exist....

 

[markfmvl]

I have both on my 90. they coexist. inexpensive led gro fixture on the fuge and a DIY alge scrubber using warm white leds.....

 

[MrGAC]

I have both on my 90. I have an inexpensive led grow fixture mostly red with some blue. Grows cheato well. the alge scrubber is a DIY with four led soft white bulbs. no skimmer by the way. so they can co-exist....

What is your experience with both? How long have you had both running? I am considering both because my sump fuse is only 12" for a 150 gal tank. I purchased the CW-100 External Algae Scrubber to add as a supplement but after reading this thread am second guessing my thoughts.