Hello all, I am new to thiss forum. I have had SW tanks on and off for 15 years now but none for the last 4 years. I was one who always used a wet dry filter, now I am thinking of using a refugium. I have a few questions for you refugium experts out there. Do you guys also run prefilters and carbon (or other medium) or do you just run the refugium as is. If that is the case what polishes the water and what removes the "junk" prior to getting to the refugium and making it settle in the bottom of the refugium. Do you all like this setup over the wet dry?
Refugium
- Thread starter jmjead
- Start date
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Fishboy-from-NY
Aquarium Advice FINatic
What I have is a wet/dry with no bio balls in it only live base rock and a drip plates where I put a micron pad to polosh my water, in this sump, I also have my heater, skimmer and have it connected to my chiller after all that, I have the water going from the wet/dry to my refugium and have a mag 5 pumping the water back up. The only chemical filtration I have is what they call Chemi Pure bags. Once in a while if I am medicating the tank I woudl add some poly filters.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
SquishyFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have had a refugium, a refugium and a sump (wet dry) and just a wet dry. Refugiums definately have their place if set up right, but IMO I can run a system just as efficiently without the refugium as I can with one. There are 2 basic reasons to have a refugium. Macro aglae filtration and a breeding groud for pods. In small tanks (tanks under 75 gallons) the refuguim can be useful because its relatively easy to get close to the same water volume in the fuge as in the tank. That is key to a successful fuge if macro algae filtration is the reason for the fuge in the first place. (this isnt as important in "haven" fuges) Larger tanks become much more of a challenge. Who has room for a 175gal tank and a 175 gallon fuge? (Besides BangGuy...900 gallon lagoon fuge in his basement.)
If your setting up a pod haven fuge, the key is to use a pump to return the water and not a power head. The impeller on a p/h will kill most of the pods passing through it. If the pods cant get back to the main tank..whats the point of the fuge in the first place.
I have an article on fuges that is very in depth if you would like to read it.
HTH
Squishy
If your setting up a pod haven fuge, the key is to use a pump to return the water and not a power head. The impeller on a p/h will kill most of the pods passing through it. If the pods cant get back to the main tank..whats the point of the fuge in the first place.
I have an article on fuges that is very in depth if you would like to read it.
HTH
Squishy
bound_for_obx
Aquarium Advice Addict
Squishy, Let's see the article!
SquishyFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
You know what? I looked everywhere and cant find it. I thought we had one on our site, but its one about sumps that briefly mentions fuges. Sorry guys.
SquishyFish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Depends on what your using them for. I reccomend never using bio balls. They trap ditritus and can elevate the trates. They are generally more work than they are worth to get them to function properly. Live rock will be fine provided you have enough circulation. If not...your going to run into the same problem as with the bio balls.
What were you wanting to use the LR for in your sump?
What were you wanting to use the LR for in your sump?
Squishy,
The same as the bio balls, to get rid of the nitrates, etc....
I have a 90 gallon pre drilled AGA mega overflow tank so there is no prefilter until you get to the wet/dry. I have over 100lbs of premium fiji rock right now, and I am debating with myself on whether or not to use the live sand bed.
The same as the bio balls, to get rid of the nitrates, etc....
I have a 90 gallon pre drilled AGA mega overflow tank so there is no prefilter until you get to the wet/dry. I have over 100lbs of premium fiji rock right now, and I am debating with myself on whether or not to use the live sand bed.
