HOB refuge contents?

[willy0508]

Hi all,

Just picked up a hang on back fuge from a person at work who bought it then never used it. They were nice enough to give it to me free, pump and all! It has a skimmer built in it, but also but think buying a new one later would be better.

Few questions. What all should I put in it? I checked and it holds about 3.5 gal of water. I have some spare aragonite sand and can get cheato and LR rubble from LFS. Is that all I need? Was thinking about some carbon in the return?

Also if anyone else has a HOB does the extra weight stress the tanks back wall. Just a little worried about that and may make a brace to support the weight.

I have a 29 gal with just live rock in it now as the cycle just finished. Got a small CUC coming from reefkeepers. Still going to wait on the fish as I want to make their new home as comfy as possible.

 

[Gti_Leo]

you could build a stand if you're worried abotu the weight

i plan on gettign an old 10g my girlfreind has and turning it into a behind the tank refugium. going to buils a stant to raise it high enough to bring it a few inches above my main tank, then i'm going to make a cut out around the plastick trim with a diamond dremel cuttign blade so i can make a return to my main tank.

going to buy a new skimmer that is goign to go in the intake part of the refugium with a pump sucking water from the main then going to the skimmer and then into the refugium which is goign to house a 4-5 inch deep sand bed with soem chaeto and some live rock.

lite by probably a 20 watt 50/50 screw in power compact, so i can uses it as a hide out for any anemone or corals that are being harrased in my main tank

 

[austinsdad]

I'd just fill it with chaeto. Not enuf space for rock to help IMO

 

[willy0508]

I'd love to do a real sump/refuge but no space under the stand or anywhere around really. HOB is now installed with a brace under it just in case. Chaeto and CUC should be here next week from reef cleaners.

I'm running the Skimmer that's part of the HOB but I'm not sure how good it will be. Doesn't seem to make too many bubbles. Probably order a skimmer in a week or so once I get some fish.

edit: If i do buy a separate skimmer i'm going to look at a smaller pump for the fuge so the water is slower coming back to the DT.

 

[mr_X]

i would leave the pump alone if you buy a new skimmer. it's not going to hurt anything to have more flow, just so long as there isn't a micro bubble issue.

i would not put any filter pads or carbon after the refugium, because you don't want to restrict pods and other creatures getting back to the DT.

you could add a little sand at the bottom along with some rock rubble. it might make for a better pod habitat/breeding area.