Refugium help

[Nick C]

Hello! I am still new and in the process of setting up.

My question is about refugiums.

This is the sump I'm using. The larger area I am using for a carbon reactor and a skimmer, I also hav a heater in it. The back is the RP and a second heater. The secondary area in the middle I wanted to use as a refugium. The setup I bought came with a light for a refugium.

So my question is what do I do to start one? Right now I threw some leftover rock in is just because I didn't know what else to do. Any help would be great!!

(PS I don't know what device is in with the Rock, I just had it sitting there, it came with the set up. And I also moved the heater to the bottom of that skimmer chamber and added the Carbon reactor to it.)

 

[Crabs McJones]

The device in your refiguim chamber is your automatic top off. The bottom has a float switch that when the float drops to low it kicks on your pump to put fresh water back into the sump and the top float switch is your failsafe incase the bottom switch malfunctions a refugium does not need to be that complex, literally just chaeto in a designated chamber in your sump wait to start your fuge though until after the tank is up and running and fully cycled. Another thing I'll note is to see if you can find a way to eliminate the loop in your drain line. It can be noisy and cause flow issues as the water falls, and then gets slowed down and stopped and pushed by the water falling behind it.

 

[Nick C]

The device in your refiguim chamber is your automatic top off. The bottom has a float switch that when the float drops to low it kicks on your pump to put fresh water back into the sump and the top float switch is your failsafe incase the bottom switch malfunctions a refugium does not need to be that complex, literally just chaeto in a designated chamber in your sump wait to start your fuge though until after the tank is up and running and fully cycled. Another thing I'll note is to see if you can find a way to eliminate the loop in your drain line. It can be noisy and cause flow issues as the water falls, and then gets slowed down and stopped and pushed by the water falling behind it.

Perfect! That is exactly what I was looking for for!!! It came with an aqualifter that I assume was also used for the auto top off. I was actually looking to buy an ATO to it's super relieving that that is what that is!! And it's good to know I should wait until after the cycle.

Should I wait until after the cycle to start using the carbon reactor as well??

 

[Crabs McJones]

Perfect! That is exactly what I was looking for for!!! It came with an aqualifter that I assume was also used for the auto top off. I was actually looking to buy an ATO to it's super relieving that that is what that is!! And it's good to know I should wait until after the cycle.

Should I wait until after the cycle to start using the carbon reactor as well??

Yup, wait till after your cycle

 

[Nick C]

Yup, wait till after your cycle

Thank you so much! You sir are a gentleman and a scholar!

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

the float switch is upside down in your photo as well.

 

[Nick C]

the float switch is upside down in your photo as well.

Hahaha yeah. It's not even plugged in. Thats just where it happened to be when I took the pic. I took it out after that. But now I'm going to put it back in when i get home

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Hahaha yeah. It's not even plugged in. Thats just where it happened to be when I took the pic. I took it out after that. But now I'm going to put it back in when i get home

personally, i've always been leery of atos that use aqua lifter pumps. might work for you but not reliable in my experience.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have had great luck with tom brand , but yes, many more reliable micro units out there and low in cost

 

[Nick C]

Have had great luck with tom brand , but yes, many more reliable micro units out there and low in cost

I will have to look into it! Thanks!