Aquarium size to use for refugium?

[jphendren]

I have decided to try and build my own refugium for my 55 gallon saltwater reef, and seem to be limited by the size of the aquarium that I can use due to the narrow tank stand. As you know 55's are only 12" wide, so the useable space under the stand is only 11.5" at most. I have found that a 10 gallon will fit nicely, but most other tanks available are too wide. My LFS does not recommend using the 10 gallon on my 55, he says that it is too small, and won't do me much good, that a 20 minimum, or a 30 gallon will be much better, the problem is that those tanks are too wide. Are there any commercially available aquarium other than the 10 gallon that are 11" or narrower? Is the 10 gallon really too small?

Let me know what you think?

Jared

 

[Krypt]

If width is your only issue, what you can do is contact an acrylic molding specialist to make you a sump tank. They can mold it to whatever dimensions you need. As for using a 10 gal, you could make due with it. It will be hard to cram in your skimmer, return pump, and inlet assembly but it could be done as a last resort.

 

[cmor1701d]

You can buy commercially available ones, or DIY.

 

[neilanh]

Also, remember that there's no rule that it has to be an actual aquarium either. Perhaps you can find a rubbermade tote or something like that that will fit.

 

[mr_X]

i would use the largest tank you can fit in the stand. you can never have too much space in the sump. putting together an acrylic tank from scratch is not really as difficult as you might think. you might google a bit and check into it.
Building an Acrylic Aquarium

that said, a 10 gallon aquarium is going to make for a terrible sump. you are not going to be happy with it.

 

[jphendren]

"that said, a 10 gallon aquarium is going to make for a terrible sump. you are not going to be happy with it."

Why won't a 10 gallon not work? I have looked under my stand quite a bit today, and currently have a Rena XP3 under there that has been my only filter, a 10 gallon aquarium is about all I can fit under with the Rena. Anything wider won't fit at all, and anything much longer and I won't be able to remove the Rena for cleaning.

Jared

 

[pokmijn]

a ten gallon will work but you wont have much space to work with and ditch the rena and get a sump you'll be much better off like that. I've used a ten gallon sump on a my old 55 before, it work out ok. But now i have a 20g sump on my 10g nano.

 

[mr_X]

i stated that because you will have a heck of a time fitting a skimmer in it, for one. i am not sure there is a worthwhile skimmer that will fit in roughly half of a 10 gallon tank.
you will have to partition it in order to stop bubbles from going back into the display, so it will be at least 2 sections.
what will you use this sump for exactly? just a place to hold a heater? it doesn't make sense to go through the trouble of putting together a little sump like that for the limited functionality it brings.

 

[jphendren]

I mainly need some way to manage nitrates. My nitrates have been in the 20ppm range, and SPS and LPS corals do not do well in my tank. Zoa's, and mushrooms seem to do fine so far. What I need is a place to have some macro algae to eat the nitrates, that is all.

Jared

 

[mr_X]

have you tried vodka dosing? this might be a better option for you-
Melevsreef.com - Dosing Vodka to Lower Nitrate & Phosphate

 

[cabezon]

If you are trying to grow macro get a hob fuge.

 

[jphendren]

I'm very interested in the vodka dosing, as well as a HOB refugium. Are there any HOB refugiums large enough for a 55 gallon?

Jared

 

[mr_X]

yep. they make an assortment of sizes.
CPR AquaFuge 2 Hang-on Refugium
choose which ever you want. all of them will be a benefit.

 

[cabezon]

The benefit of the chaeto is from the pruning. If you have asmall bit that you keep growing and pruning it will be as good as a larger bit that you hardly ever prune. It doesn't take much.

Now if you were looking to add water volume that's another story, but then you wouldn't be considering a 10

 

[jphendren]

"Now if you were looking to add water volume that's another story, but then you wouldn't be considering a 10"

Just looking to decrease nitrates, so that I can have more corals LOL. Wouldn't a 10 gallon full of macro algae work for that purpose? I really would prefer to have it under the stand, rather than hanging on the back of the tank. I am thinking an overflow box, a tube running down into a 10 gallon that has a deep sand bed, maybe some live rock rubble, and some algae, and a return pump to return it back to the main aquarium. I don't even think that I would need any baffles would I. I could also put my heater in there.

Another option, I found a 100 gallon acrylic with stand, sump, lights and live rock/sand for $300. That tank is 5' long, and 18" wide, I could do anything with that bad boy.

Jared

 

[cmor1701d]

Look at geting some BioPellets instead of vodka dosing. They are a form of solid dosing to reduce nitrates. You need to run them in a reactor like a Phosban 150 or a BRS (bulk reef supply) reactor.