jbholasingh
Community Member
After adding a refugium to my system I was a reduction in nitrate from 25ppm to 1ppm in 1 week. Why even bother with other export methods?
Why isn't everyone using a refugium?
- Thread starter jbholasingh
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Spare time
10K Club member
There is an idea in the hobby that, when setting up filtration, a skimmer is always the number 1 priority, and then add a refugium if you have the room. I believe this is horrible advice, and that the hobby needs to reconsider skimmers as a tool for specific jobs rather than a universal tool. Refugiums are better as the universal tool.
Spare time
10K Club member
You mean tearing a piece out every week or other week and selling it for cash or throwing it away? I am not sure what maintenance I am doing for my refugium, but its less than having to drain and clean a skimmer.
vetteguy53081
Well known Member and monster tank lover
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
RGB
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
West Palm Beach Reefer
Hospitality Award
Ocala Reef Club Member
305 Reef Club
Wisco Reefers
Midwest Reefer
Fish Medic
MAC of SW Florida
Rock Pool Reef Keepers
R2R Secret Santa 2023
My Tank Thread
My Aquarium Showcase
Some use AIO tans and others like myself have other components in lieu of fuge or some faced with no space or desire.
Mine has rock in first section, scrubber and UV in next section, skimmer in 3rd section and then to return pump
fishmonkey
Active Member
Does anyone have to dose the trace elements and nutrients refugiums end up using?
OP
OP
jbholasingh
Community Member
Chaetomorpha. Its the very thin variety. I think these massive results are because I use a very powerful hydroponics grow light (rated for 3x3 ft veg coverage). Had a smaller light for a month which did nothing.
Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
Staff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
There are lots of roads to Rome, and lots of people along those roads saying “this is the best way to get there”. lol
Auquanut
5000 Club Member
Partner Member 2024
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
RGB
Reef Squad Emeritus
Hospitality Award
Midwest Reefer
My Tank Thread
I am very happy with my fuge, but some folks have a hard time keeping a detectible level of nutrients. For them, a fuge would be bad news. All tanks are different, and while I never have been able to find my way to Rome, I gotta agree with @Randy Holmes-Farley.
LgTas
Well-Known Member
I agree! I only look at my refugium when the macro needs to harvested. Much easier than when I used to have to wash filter socks every 3 to 4 days or purchase expensive rollers. I've never used a skimmer and have never seen any indication that I need to in any of my Mixed LPS SPS, Seahorse Softy, or Mixed Nem tanks.
EugeneVan
Active Member
Same here. I have a 4 inches of harlequin tuskfish, power blue and power brown and 10 small fish. I feed them twice a day and they all eat like pig and I can still manage to get N03 around 7 and PO4 around 0.07. Beside the oversize skimmer, I think the chaeto in the refugium are the working horse.
I think size of fuge of capable having is also a factor. My fuge when going just can’t keep up and wouldn’t even sent nitrates. But I just liked it. I would also have to dose iron and likes keep it growing. Which in fact feeds the GHA. So I am seriously thinking of giving up on it and just sticking with other ways to Rome.
DannoOMG
Active Member
I tried 3 times to put a refugium in my tank and forcing to go in a certain spot but it just won't work. Melts every time. Not enough flow over the chaeto to make it work. I'd love to have it just for pods.
¯\_(° ͜ʖ °)_/¯
¯\_(° ͜ʖ °)_/¯
WhiskyTango
Active Member
Refugia takes place in the recesses of our rock. Growing algae in a sump is just algae scrubbing, so pretty much everyone has a refugium in their tanks. 
Little c big D
Well-Known Member
Laziness
