Question on refugiums

[oujeeper]

Hi Everyone,
Been reading for a couple of hours and wanted to post a question. I went to a LFS today and talked about a new tank. Looking at a 72 bowfront or 75. He had a nice refugium setup going and only wanted to talk about running one of those. I haven't seen much here about one and wondering if he's just trying to by that Porshe or whether this is the best there is and offers less problems. Just wondering what anyone's experience with those have been.

Thanks!

 

[loganj]

fuge

Would like to hear about the refugium in question in more detail. Basically, a refugium is just a container connected to the main tank that has a very slow water flow through it. It's main purpose is to provide a place for small inverts such as amphipods to breed and grow without predation. If you choose to reverse light it, it can also be used to grow macro algaes as nutrient sponges. It can be the newest thing with glowing mud in the bottom and built in pumps and lighting or it can be a rubbermaid container with a powerhead and a strip light. Beware of dealers who try to tell you that you must have the newest and most advanced equipment to have a successful tank...it's just not true. My fuge (unfinished ) is a homemade acrylic contraption that hangs on the back of the tank and is powered by a Mini Jet PH...nothing fancy, yet the pods are breeding like rats in there.
Logan J

 

[oujeeper]

Thanks for the info. That's what I was beginning to think the more he went on about it. I've looked at the cpr hang on refugiums and thought these aren't bad and not nerely the cost he was quoting me. My radar went up when he kept returning back to the system. From my experience in the tech field, bleeding edge is not always the best place to find oneself.

 

[oujeeper]

Sorry that I didn't answer your question. His refugium system was about 30 gallons, had more items in there than I know the name of but ran 3 display tanks off of it with lr and ls in each. He was suggesting that for either tank setup it would be about $2600 whether I went with wet/dry or refugium. And I should buy everything but the fish and corals right away. I have read as much as I can here and other places and believe that the refugium is a good idea but doesn't have to be an elaborate system. Looking at the cpr at a later date. I guess it's another case of caveat emptor and do your research.

 

[fishfreek]

I shy way from anyone that says buy everything all at once. Read my sig about the quote...

Speed kills...


A refuge is very simple. get a rubbermade tube. divide it into a few sections if you want. make the center section so you can have sand and rock in it. lite it with a double stip lite.

put your heater in the left compartment with the water drain from the tank.

put your return pump in the right compartment to return water to the tank.


there you got a refuge for like $100 or less if you factor in the cost of the heater and the pump.