Cycling And Lights

[Voshon247]

You need more surface agitation. BB needs those oxygen to strive.

I do have another pump or power head that's puts oxygen or bubble s into the tank do you recommend that

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

No bubblers are more for fw. I'd just get another ph and point it at the surface.

 

[Voshon247]

Ok I fixed my power head so it points from the bottom shooting to the top hitting the surface and I also tested my tank.its been about 13 days and my ammonia is about 2-8 can't really tell.
Nitrite is about 2-5 and nitrate is about 10-20

 

[jeffaquarius]

Just keep watch on Nitrite daily. It will go down sometime and nitrate will shoot up to about 40 or 80.

 

[mrvincent]

Do you plan a 100% water change to remove all thoses excess nitrates when the cycling will be done ?

 

[Voshon247]

Do you plan a 100% water change to remove all thoses excess nitrates when the cycling will be done ?

in the next two weeks I will have a week off of school so in that time I plan on doing partial water changes almost everyday(about 4-8g) a change until everything stabilizes. I also got my hands on a 10g aquarium and will be turning it into a refugium only. Does anyone know how this will affect my cycle or should I wait until after the cycle is finished??

 

[mr_X]

Just make sure the ammonia and nitrite are gone before you start changing water.

 

[Voshon247]

I did a new test and ammonia is finally going down now it's at about 0.50 nitrite the same at about 5.0 and nitrate about the same as last time 10-20ppm. I also have a question I see a lot of refugiums with acrylic glass and etc dividing it. Is it necessary just for a Refugium or can I just have the refugium.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The sump has a high flow rate that can accommodate filter media, skimmer and what have you. While refugium requires a low flow for the macro algae and copepods to thrive. Some have a combination of both splitting the flow with high and low. The divider in a sump is to have a chamber maintaining a water level for the internal skimmer. Another chamber is for the return pump with variable level and where your ato sensor is mounted. You can have a fuge only without a divider but make sure you have a low flow.

 

[mr_X]

I disagree on flow rates for refugiums. Fast or slow they seem to work the same. I would keep a consistent flow throughout the sump. It's just easier that way IMO.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Here is a link that may give you some more info on why slow flow rate in fuge is desirable. However, a small circulating pump inside the fuge will help algae flourish. The idea is to have more dwell time for effective nitrate absorption.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f65/refugium-water-flow-24925.html

 

[mr_X]

it's desirable to the guys who are for it, but there is absolutely no data that proves it's better. Plants don't need dwell time. As long as they are in contact with water they will pull what they need. It makes no difference if a plant pulls all nutrients from a quart of water or a little nutrients from 100 gallons a quart at a time, as it passes by.

 

[jeffaquarius]

As long as they are in contact with water they will pull what they need.

I totally agree with that statement only if all the water going in pass completely through all the macro algae inside the container. If not then the potential is not fully utilized. It depends on how the fuge is setup. If the intake is at the same level as the overflow then most of the water will just pass straight out leaving the bottom stagnant. This is the reason why the plants (algae) flourish if you have small circulating pump to stir it up a little bit.

The other reason of having low flow in a fuge is if you plan to culture copepods as stated from this link.

"Prior studies had showed that even a small amount of turbulence can affect a copepod’s ability to feed and grow and Bickel and her colleagues postulated that the sudden and intense turbulence created by a boat could harm or even kill copepods."

Reef aquarium copepod, will it blend?

 

[jeffaquarius]

deleted double post due to connection problem

 

[mr_X]

Interesting article. I wonder about pollution over turbulence (many boat motors have their exhaust pipes under water), but that said, do you really think that a reasonable return pump has enough power to mimic a boat motor in water? I have always used my return pump full blast through my sumps, and haven't seen any lack of anything, especially algae.

 

[jeffaquarius]

I am referring to the fuge not the sump. Of course everyone knows that you can have flow in the sump as much as you want but not the fuge. Sump and fuge have each with specific function. Refugium primary purpose is to cultivate pods and the algae is just secondary.

 

[Macscale]

I am referring to the fuge not the sump. Of course everyone knows that you can have flow in the sump as much as you want but not the fuge. Sump and fuge have each with specific function. Refugium primary purpose is to cultivate pods and the algae is just secondary.

The refugiums primary purpose isn't to cultivate pods, nor is the algae secondary.
The primary reason for a refugium is to export nutrients naturally... Which is why the algae is in there.
A refugium is just a good place too cultivate pods.

 

[jeffaquarius]

No need to argue about refugium if you can read this.

Purpose of Refugium

 

[Gregcoyote]

—noun, plural re·fu·gi·a .

an area where special environmental circumstances have enabled a species or a community of species to survive after extinction in surrounding areas.


Carry on. It can also hold algae.

 

[Macscale]

"A refugium may be used for one or more purposes such as denitrification, nutrient export, plankton production, circulation, surface agitation, oxygenation or aesthetic purposes."
There are any purposes, but they aren't made specifically to cultivate pods either. They are good for many other things too.
EDIT: Just another point,
Do you think the pods are as happy without the algae? Just, a thought....