Refugium in return chamber?

[GnarcoticFiend]

Hey, I recently bought a fiji cube aio 22.4 gal and was wondering if I could run a refugium in my return pump chamber? I’d like to run filter media in the first chamber. I would also like to run bio media, a skimmer and a heater in the middle chamber so that doesn’t leave me with much room left. I have a mandarin dragonet so I need a refuge to house the copepods. Is a skimmer necessary since it’s a nano tank? Please let me know your thoughts or ideas. Thanks

 

[xxkenny90xx]

What do you want to put in the fuge? Chaeto would clog your pump. Fwiw I really like having skimmers on my tanks.

It is gonna be very hard to sustain a dragonette in that small tank. I would recommend breeding copapods in a separate container and using that to constantly replenish your pods. Oh and a Paul b baby brine shrimp feeder would be helpful as well. Both pods and brine shrimp are very easy to breed..

 

[GnarcoticFiend]

What do you want to put in the fuge? Chaeto would clog your pump. Fwiw I really like having skimmers on my tanks.

It is gonna be very hard to sustain a dragonette in that small tank. I would recommend breeding copapods in a separate container and using that to constantly replenish your pods. Oh and a Paul b baby brine shrimp feeder would be helpful as well. Both pods and brine shrimp are very easy to breed..

Yeah I was planning on keeping chaeto in the fuge, i’m already currently culturing pods but i’d rather not have to do that.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

You'd need a way to keep it away from the pump. But chaeto likes to let little pieces go which would get to the pump. Have you thought about doing a diy chaeto reactor?

 

[GnarcoticFiend]

You'd need a way to keep it away from the pump. But chaeto likes to let little pieces go which would get to the pump. Have you thought about doing a diy chaeto reactor?

No i haven’t actually thought of doing that but it sounds like a good idea. I’ve never seen anybody do that before

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Something like this. It's just a cheap reactor like a phosban 150 with red led strip lights taped around it.

 

[GnarcoticFiend]

Something like this. It's just a cheap reactor like a phosban 150 with red led strip lights taped around it.

Yeah I just youtubed it and i think i’m going to go that route. It’d work best for my sistuation. Thank you for that idea

 

[GnarcoticFiend]

Yeah I just youtubed it and i think i’m going to go that route. It’d work best for my sistuation. Thank you for that idea

Do you know if i’d still be able to house and breed pods in there though? Thanks

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Do you know if i’d still be able to house and breed pods in there though? Thanks

Sure. It wouldn't be as good as a big hob refugium but the pods will get in there.

 

[Brett S]

I think growing chaeto in your return pump chamber or a hob fuge or a reactor is a good idea and can help to supplement your mandarin’s diet, but I also think you need to set your expectations correctly. I don’t believe that with a nano tank you will be able to sustain enough pod growth to be the sole source of food for your mandarin. Unless you can set up a 20 or 30G tank as a fuge I just don’t think that a cubic foot of chaeto will be able to sustain a large enough pod colony.

 

[Tchung23]

Wouldn't captive raised mandarine be a better option? They might be "trained" to eat frozen foods??

 

[GnarcoticFiend]

Wouldn't captive raised mandarine be a better option? They might be "trained" to eat frozen foods??

It definitely would be but the problem is finding one that eats frozen. If I can find one then I may go for it but for now I think I’ll stay away. Even with a chaeto reactor stuffed with pods it’ll probably go through them within a month or two and not to mention the cost of everything needed to accommodate it’s needs. I’ll definitely be getting a mandarin when I get a bigger tank in the future haha