Refugiums!

[Goofyjas]

I am trying to put some drawings together for my new refugium and I am wondering if anyone has any ideas or suggestions? I have seen a few but I am trying to make it a little custom or something that I can have my sump/refugium all in one.

I have a sump now but with talking to some people the way the top is I wont be able to make a large enough refugium for what I want.

ANy ideas or suggestions on a box? I would like to have it all in one, skimmer and pumps and all and save as much room for my pop factory that I have started.

 

[TCTFish]

How big is the tank? What ever size you end up having for a sump, The refugium part should have three chambers...bio balls, mud and algae, then a chamber for the pump to return water. Take a look at how the Ecosystem refuges are. That's how they're set. Having a different chamber for the return helps keep the pump from clogging. Having a skimmer with a refugium kind of defeats the purpose of the refugium. You'll get much nicer natural growth from the refuigium without the skimmer.

 

[midiman]

The refugium part should have three chambers...bio balls, mud and algae, then a chamber for the pump to return water.

I would skip the bio balls. I'm using a DSB in mine.

Having a skimmer with a refugium kind of defeats the purpose of the refugium

I disagree. My skimmer is in the chamber of the sump AFTER the refugium. If you're going to use a skimmer AT ALL, you either have to put it in the sump or HOB, right? IMO, HOB's are ugly and inconvenient, and from what I've read, produce too many nuisance microbubbles. In a sump, a bubble trap can be used post-skimmer to deal with them.

My water enters my sump, goes through the fuge after it enters (nicely areated by the fall from the tank), then to the skimmer, thru bubble traps and then back to the tank.

Diiferent strokes for different folks. Variety is the spice of life, after all!!

 

[TCTFish]

Skimmers mechanically remove proteins. Refugiums utilize proteins and break them down. When they are mechanically removed, there are no proteins in the system to break down, so why bother with a skimmer? Also...The return water is different in chemistry between the two. The by products in the return water from a natural break down of proteins by a refugium allows for certain growths of fauna and microfauna not achieved in systems fitted with a skimmer. At work, my little 18 gallon is the only tank in the store fitted with a refugium . It's been going great for over three years and the fauna in there is awesome and is the only tank with such natural growth compared to the other reefs in the store that are fitted with skimmers. There's also an article in some type of pet news or aquarium magazine that explains this difference. Bossman read it and I never got the chance to bring home the article, so unfortunately I can't provide a reference.

Nothing says you can't have both. You just won't have the super fauna that can be produced with just a refugium.

 

[midiman]

Skimmers mechanically remove proteins. Refugiums utilize proteins and break them down.

That assumes that the skimmer removes 100% of the material needed by the inhabitants of the refugium. Not a likely scenario. In my case, my refugium area is too small to handle all of the job, but will certainly contribute to nutrient export, and will provide an environment for pods to grow. In addition, if the nutrient load should exceed what the fuge can process, the skimmer can help - kind of a nutrient shock absorber for the system, I would think.

In any event the use of bioballs, etc., in a sump would eventually ADD to the level of nitrates in a system, which means they are banned form my system!!

 

[saltwatersmac]

I have also read where a fuge works best if it's around 20% of your main tank. If you're a DIYer check out melevsreef.com for some good ideas on a sump. Lots of info!

Stephen

 

[Goofyjas]

The tank is a 110 reef ready, I have a sump and skimmer on there now but no real way of adding a refugium that woul dmake me happy so I am looking for ready made ones, or to have one custom built.

I wanted the water to enter, go through the ref, then a skimmer, and back to the tank. I have a large sump now but the way it is built i cant drop a refug in there. I dislike HOBs with a passion.

One box with it all would be the ideal if I could. I will look into some info and the site posted and check it out..

If you gus could or wouldnt mind could you post or email me pics of your sump, refugium?

thanks!