Starting a Refugium on 700 gallon tank. Will it work?

[cumbeje]

I currently have no refugium in my tank sump. I was thinking about adding it as another method of nutrient control and a place for pods. does anyone see any down side to this. I am not sure considering the size of my tank that a refugium will replace GFO and small water changes.

My goal would be to eliminate water changes all together if possible. My reasoning is I am using triton testing and feel that constant water changes dilute trace elements? My water changes are 2.5 gallon per day with automatic changes so it is no work for me to do.

Right now my tank tests out at phosphates .02 and nitrates 3 ppm. Tank is 9 months old. Any input would be great.

 

[cumbeje]

Here is pic of DT tank now.

 

[cumbeje]

Sorry forgot Pic

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[keddre]

This is just my $.02 but sorta.

I was thinking about adding it as another method of nutrient control and a place for pods

This is definitely realistic. There's plenty of ways to go about it, but macro-algae + little to no preditation makes a great place for pods to multiply, just make sure it is post-skimmer. Also for nutrient export, just remember that you have to harvest whatever macro you're growing.

I am not sure considering the size of my tank that a refugium will replace GFO and small water changes.

Seconded, but not impossible. I imagine that if you had great lighting coupled with good macro choice, it is doable. I have seen it done but have no hands on experience, I do recommend watching BRS TV's refugium and chaeto episodes.

Good luck and Thumbs up (I don't know how to put the actual thumbs up, lol)

 

[VR28man]

Triton iirc requires a fuge about 20% the size of a display. In your case, that's 140 gallons or so.

I'd do it, but I'd put it on its own stand and make it a display fuge. I'd probably buy a stock 150 gallon from Petco, or even better from craigslist. I'd drill it, and put a decent size sandbed in it. I'd keep he flow around 700gph, and try to vary it. Best might be two vortechs alternating between wave and lagoon settings.

I'd grow swathes of several different kinds of macroalgae. Maybe some seagrass after the time comes, as well se mangroves.

I probably also keep some live rock in there and less chemically damaging forms of octocoral in there, on a little patch reef in the middle. Maybe I do even keep a large Acropora in there – nothing is cooler than an acro sticking out of the patch reef in the middle of a seagrass bed.

 

[cumbeje]

Triton iirc requires a fuge about 20% the size of a display. In your case, that's 140 gallons or so.

I'd do it, but I'd put it on its own stand and make it a display fuge. I'd probably buy a stock 150 gallon from Petco, or even better from craigslist. I'd drill it, and put a decent size sandbed in it. I'd keep he flow around 700gph, and try to vary it. Best might be two vortechs alternating between wave and lagoon settings.

I'd grow swathes of several different kinds of macroalgae. Maybe some seagrass after the time comes, as well se mangroves.

I probably also keep some live rock in there and less chemically damaging forms of octocoral in there, on a little patch reef in the middle. Maybe I do even keep a large Acropora in there – nothing is cooler than an acro sticking out of the patch reef in the middle of a seagrass bed.

Unfortunately I have a fish room and don't have room to add a display fuge. I might try starting one and see what happens. i can always continue other methods of nutrient export and dial back overtime I guess.

 

[cumbeje]

This is just my $.02 but sorta.


This is definitely realistic. There's plenty of ways to go about it, but macro-algae + little to no preditation makes a great place for pods to multiply, just make sure it is post-skimmer. Also for nutrient export, just remember that you have to harvest whatever macro you're growing.


Seconded, but not impossible. I imagine that if you had great lighting coupled with good macro choice, it is doable. I have seen it done but have no hands on experience, I do recommend watching BRS TV's refugium and chaeto episodes.

Good luck and Thumbs up (I don't know how to put the actual thumbs up, lol)

thanks i watched the BRS made me think that if I get a kessil h380 that even with the smaller space that the light might make it enough.