Refugium Noob

[tlowery070]

Any chance u guys can show pics of ur refugiums?

 

[tlowery070]

Would I put my skimmer in this hole?

 

[tlowery070]

Or on this side?

 

[Mjl714]

I would recommend you lay out the plumbing parts you have and take a picture so we ask better questions on your route to getting setup.

 

[tlowery070]

I don't have any yet lol im tryna figure out what I need lol

 

[cameronh]

Do you have a lfs in your area?

 

[tlowery070]

Yes 2.

 

[RudyB]

Good choice, always my favorite way. Now depending on the size of the compartments you will need to find parts that fit it. If I can see correctly from that picture the center larger segment will be the refugium part. I always use a mix of fine sand and miracle mud. I use a 1:1 ratio in my fuge. Then I add mangroves, chato, and a type of fern caulerpa. This mix has appeared to work best for me. It also has the best growing area for pods that would get sucked up and sent to the main tank. Not sure if it is the mix or that I am much more experienced than I used to be. But since I have multiple tanks and I have tried different methods this one seems to be the best with the least maintenance so far. Now, if you read the instructions and what other people say, you should change a part of the mud every year. I have been running two of my tanks now one for 7 years and the other for 5 years without changing the mud. So you make your mind up on what you would like to do. I see it this way. If you keep a clean up crew(small) in your fuge you will not have build up. Especially if you have a filter sock on your down spout. As for nutrient loss, that is why we add the nutrients to the water that are needed when they are needed for optimal levels. Each tank setup will use them up at a different rate. Don't assume what works on one will work on another and what I add will not be what you add. That part is learned with time. Now for the rest of the equipment. Protein skimmer should be somewhere before the fuge not after that way the pods are not sucked up by the it. This is why I think you will not need a very big protein skimmer. For one thing the mix off plants will in time become very efficient in removing waste in the water column. So the skimmer will work more at first but its need will diminish as your tank becomes mature. Remember to keep in check what you feed and the nutrients you add to the tank. I always keep my skimmer on at all times because I think it is a good way to keep the water oxygenated. My experience has taught me that good water flow in the tank is more important than flow in your fuge. I for one like a lot of rock work in my tanks. With more rocks and good flow you have another great filter system that will help you in case of prolong power outage. May it never happen to you. The light you add to your fuge is important. You can read on that subject online. In my experience any daylight bulb will do the trick. I use only LED's in my tank now for both the main and the fuge. They are cool and I can control them. I also have my fuge on a reverse daylight schedule with my display tank with a 1 hr overlap with my display tank light. This will control your ph swings. Another piece of equipment that I like is a carbon/GFO filter. The carbon effectiveness is short lived the effect it has on the color of the water is huge. The carbon will make your water crystal clear. It will make sure that your water is as clear as possible and not yellow. Now I keep my carbon running all the time although its effect have long stopped because I am lazy in that respect and it fits my maintenance schedule. Why the GFO? There may come a time when you need a little extra help and that is where the GFO comes in. You can mix 2 parts carbon to 1 part GFO to help bring down nutrient levels. It does not hurt. And in another you can choose to run it all the time(extra insurance on outbreaks of algae). Not a sub for a good feeding and maintenance schedule. The other piece of equipment you may want is a UV light and a heater if you live in a cold climate where keeping the water temp up needed. Again the UV helps with control. Just keep in mind that it is possible that any pods that go through the UV may become sterile and not be reproduce. There have been studies done for and against that idea(make up your own mind on the subject). Wow, sorry for how much I wrote, it got away from me. If you have any questions please ask. It is always better to have more information than less. Good Luck.

 

[RudyB]

That hole you pointed to looks like it is for the filter sock. A good thing to remove large particles. If space is an issue then you can always add a hang on skimmer.

 

[cu455]

Yes 2.

If the fish store has a good selection of equipment bring them the sump and they should be able to help you get it set up.

The hole is for a filter sock. It is hard to see the section above the filter sock. Is it completely sealed off from the rest of the sump? If you fill it with water would the water flow anywhere else?

The next section, the large one should house a skimmer, heater and other equipment.

The next smaller section could be used for a small fuge or filter media such as a sponge.

The last compartment will have a return pump.

That is only one of the many ways to set the sump up. You can also use the large section as a fuge and go skimmerless or with a HOB skimmer.

 

[drstratton]

Here's a couple of pictures of my sump/refugium.

 

[cameronh]

Yes 2.

If you kinda want to get a good view of how the can be setup, ask to check out some of your fish stores tanks. I'm sure they have one setup that can give you a general idea and they would explain how it all worked and the things you need.

 

[tlowery070]

My sump just confuses me I guess because there is only 5 inches for a skimmer.

im guessing this would be where the first stage would be what do you think @Cameron

 

[tlowery070]

Is the hole circle for a sock then goes into refugium area? But then what is the chamber to the right of it?

 

[tlowery070]

I get how a refugium works now and the supply's I just don't understand mine now.

 

[tlowery070]

Ok I put water through it and understand a little more of how it goes. But...where the sock goes in that hole there's an opening in the bottom. U can see in the picture. Is the fuge section going to work if that hole is there? Won't the flow from that section mess up my sand/m mud I put in there ultimately messing up the whole point of the build up of organisms in the fuge section?

 

[RudyB]

You can buy a small piece of plexy and build L box around the hole to the height that you want the sand to be. That way the flow will be diverted up and the sand will not be disturbed. Use 100% silicone or any that says they are tank save nothing else.

 

[tlowery070]

You can buy a small piece of plexy and build L box around the hole to the height that you want the sand to be. That way the flow will be diverted up and the sand will not be disturbed. Use 100% silicone or any that says they are tank save nothing else.

What's an Lbox?

 

[tlowery070]

Nvm I get what ur saying now

 

[RudyB]

Just make it so it is just higher than the level of the sand. About an inch should do.