Sump/Refugium or reactor

[Budda619]

Hi guys. Its been awhile since I've used this forum because everything has gone so well but am glad to be back. I have a 30g reef tank full of softies and lps. I have decided to upgrade my tank instead of buying a whole new setup. Lately i have excess nutrients in the water so I'm getting nuisance algae. Ive always wanted a sump Refugium, so i can lower nutrients grow copepods and add more water to stabilize my tank. But lately i have been looking in to gfo carbon and bio pellet reactors. Whats the best route? My tank had a built in sump and trickle filter in the back. Atm i have chaeto in one of the filter media trays. It has a light on it as well and is on a timer with my main lights.

I have very limited space under my tank as its only 16" wide so that limits my sump options. Can running reactors be better or equivalant to having a true sump/refugium?

 

[Jonnypro]

A gfo reactor is always good to have on your system I have one running all the time. They are less the. $100..

 

[bribo12]

I would much rather run a sump/skimmer than any of the above methods. Gfo is potent and If you accidentally add to much it can seriously tick corals off with how much it zaps from the water. Softies and lps love nutrient rich water. I'd look for the cause of the nutrient excess and then go from there. But sump/ skimmer or just adding a skimmer would do wonders over a reactor or tiny refugium.

 

[Budda619]

I would much rather run a sump/skimmer than any of the above methods. Gfo is potent and If you accidentally add to much it can seriously tick corals off with how much it zaps from the water. Softies and lps love nutrient rich water. I'd look for the cause of the nutrient excess and then go from there. But sump/ skimmer or just adding a skimmer would do wonders over a reactor or tiny refugium.

I have a nano skimmer in the back of my cube already. If i go with the sump/refuge i will most definitely upgrade the skimmer too. What if i were to run bio pellets in a reactor?

 

[bribo12]

They work just make sure to follow the directions to the point.

 

[Budda619]

They work just make sure to follow the directions to the point.

Awesome thanks bro. Would bio pellet reactor be more effective than a sump refuge? What gives a bigger headache? LoL sorry im new to both these methods

 

[bribo12]

I think the reactor would be more of a headache lol. Plus the sump gives you extra water volume.

 

[Jonnypro]

Do you have any pics of your setup. You can just add a 10g sump/fuge.

 

[Budda619]

Do you have any pics of your setup. You can just add a 10g sump/fuge.

My camera is broken on my phone but ill try to get a pic. My friend said adding a ten gallon wont improve it much where theres a noticeable difference. He said if i go sump, to atleast do a 20+ . I just dont want to use a hob overflow, i would have to tear down my tank partially to do it