djsuperman
Community Member
So ive been looking into a new tank and i am liking the wet dry system. I went to a LFS today and saw he had some algae growing in a sump with an LED shining on it. Anyone have experience with this?
Refugium?
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CoryC
Valuable Member
wet dry systems, ones with bio balls or similar media, are primarly for freshwater systems. or for fish only systems. it takes a while for bacterial to seed into those things and even still they will readily leach nitrates back into the tank if not cleaned in portions every few months. Refugiums are good, but for one to be noticeably beneficial it needs to be approx half the volume of the tank. so say you had a 100 gal tank, you'd need a 65 gallon or so underneath. 10 for your filter sock/floss or just a skimmer, then a set of baffles, then your 50 gal refugium section, then a set of baffles then your return pump. there are other ways to do this, and you can get by without a skimmer if using a straight refugium. i have an external refugium. i run a berlin style sump and skimmer. then i have an external refugium, then that dumps into my return area. i keep several times of macro algae, small live rock rubble an a 1" sandbed, and types of micro organism that help feed my tank.
WindyCityReefer
New Member
I agree, I recently upgraded from a wet/dry system to a new sump with refugium and skimmer chamer and it was honestly one of the best moves I have made. My parameters stay more consistent, the positives of growing marco algae, and it is easier to add a nice skimmer. Wet/dry filters dont really have much room to add extras unless you get a giant. If you have the option I would go with a sump that has chambers and a refugium.
Mhumbach
Active Member
I agree with everyone else stay away from the wet/dry filters. Im a big fan of refugium usually they have to be very large to make a noticeable difference on phosphates however with slower flow sand and some macro alage they can be a haven for pods and a whole lot of life providing more food for your fishes!
fragmatic
retired reefer
If you are even thinking about a sump and a refugium stop thinking and do it. There are lots of positive reasons.
Some major reasons are:
>increases water volume
>increases locations for diversity
>more places to have life forms not compatible with the ones in your display
>a refugium can farm algae which can be harvested to remove toxins out of the water chain
>a refugium full of algae can compete with the algae in your display tank enough to minimize it
>you can farm the algae at night with reverse lighting and buffer the pH swing
>> this list goes on and on
Some major reasons are:
>increases water volume
>increases locations for diversity
>more places to have life forms not compatible with the ones in your display
>a refugium can farm algae which can be harvested to remove toxins out of the water chain
>a refugium full of algae can compete with the algae in your display tank enough to minimize it
>you can farm the algae at night with reverse lighting and buffer the pH swing
>> this list goes on and on
robby2782
Well-Known Member
+100
