Refugium partitions: What are your thoughts?

[Kelpie]

Why is it that refugia have partitions at all? I'm thinking I could use PVC out from the main tank to the center of the aquarium and PVC from each of the four corners back to the main feeding into it by gravity from 17". Moreover, if the PVC had holes drilled into it from bottom to top, I could sample the entire water column from bottom to top and the zooplankton would be directed from the center to the edges by in current from the main. I plan to use a 50 gallon (or larger) rubbermaid farm animal watering container for this purpose together with a 6" live sand bed. Overkill perhaps for a 7 gallon nano-reef main tank but I am facinated by the prospect of setting up a relatively low-cost self-feeding system.

Are the partitions there simply to exclude macroalgae from the flow? [/b]

 

[reefrunner69]

The partitions are typically set in place to slow the turbulence caused by ther inrush of water and to prevent sand from tearing up the return pump.

 

[Kelpie]

Thank you RR,

So then if there is minimal turbulence and no return pump, I should not need them?

 

[fishfreek]

Man I am totally lost. That part about the PVC lost me. Maybe my brain is just not turned on today.

Usually refuge's have sections so as to provide a chamber for water comming into it, the refuge area itself adn then a section for the pump to return water back to the tank.

Water comming would end up stiring up the sand and fauna so much if it dumped directly into it with any force so a baffle is created and all the disturbance can be on one side and water can gently flow over the baffle into the refuge side. The water would then flow into the return pump chamber and then up to the tank again.

This also allows macro algae to not clog the pump as it grows.

A 50 gal sump/refuge on a 7 gal tank. Now that would increase your water stability a great deal.

 

[reefrunner69]

So then if there is minimal turbulence and no return pump, I should not need them

If it is an above tank refugium, then I can see 1 partition for inlet water, I don't think you can diffuse it enough to keep it from disturbing the tank, then it could free flow back to the main tank. If it is an under tank fuge, which from the size I suspect it is, You will need return pumps, otherwise you will end up with an empty main tank with no flow back to it. I also question the ability for a 7g tank to handle the amount of water exchange necessary to keep a 50g fuge healthy, although if it's only getting 50gph, it should be OK. I think you'll do fine, simply putting a return pump in a tall sided tupperware container (or something like it. If the water flows into the fuge high enough above the sand bed, I don't see any need for partions in your set-up, but I can't see no return pump.

 

[Kelpie]

It will be an above, albeit 1" above fuge. What does a fuge need from a main tank to keep it healthy. It was my impression that it was the main that needed the fuge.

I imagine all these PVC pipes coming down the sides of the fuge and running under the sand. The pipe from the main tank to the center of the fuge and the pipes leading to the out put to the main from the corners. I apoligize reef for the poor description.

I believe turbulence may be reduced by the shear number of 1/16" perforations in the pipes from bottom (just above the surface of the deep sand bed) to the top. BTW is 1/16" large enough for the larger copepods and amphipods to be drawn through?

http://www.brusselsagri.com/farm_supplies/rubbermaid.htm

 

[Kelpie]

correction

My appoligies are to Fishfreek for the poor description.

 

[reefrunner69]

What does a fuge need from a main tank to keep it healthy.

A fuge is basically a seperate tank free of predators for the pods to live and grow. As such, the fuge will require the same as the main tank, it requires an influx of water, it will require filtration (you already plan a DSB and I assume some LR), the pods and bacteria will require a food source. In this case the fuge will be more dependant on your main tank and your intervention than the other way around, simply from the size of the fuge vs the size of the tank. In most instances the fuge is needed for tanks that are over crowded and fed heavily, with the amount of water and the size of the tank serviced by this fuge, this shouldn't be an issue.

 

[reefrunner69]

Would it be possible to get a diagram of what your planning on the pvc and which sections will be drilled? I'm still not clear on how you plan to create the flow, and a diagram might help.

 

[Kelpie]

More

Well the fuge will have light (probably two 55 W pc's) to support Gracilaria and Chaetomorpha which will, in turn I presumed, support the zooplankton. All this will usually be out of my sight. I plan to have no carnivores in the fuge just autotrophs, primary heterotrophs, and detritivores.

I think I may be able to trade some of the algae as tang food to the LPS but I dunno.

I will draw this out asap.

Thanks

 

[Kelpie]

More

Well the fuge will have light (probably two 55 W pc's) to support Gracilaria and Chaetomorpha which will, in turn I presumed, support the zooplankton. All this will usually be out of my sight. I plan to have no carnivores in the fuge just autotrophs, primary heterotrophs, and detritivores.

I think I may be able to trade some of the algae as tang food to the LPS but I dunno.

I will draw this out asap.

Thanks

 

[reefrunner69]

With the size of the fuge, I have no doubt that in time it will become self supporting, but you may find a need to add some food for the macro algaes, worms and pods for the first 6 months to a year.