Refugium in my Reef Overflows??? Thoughts

[MadManMac]

I have a 175 Bowfront with corner overflows. I currently have about 2 foot tall standpipes in the overflow so the water is quite high up and could cover several pounds of rubble of GARF Grunge on the bottom. My thought was, "What if I filled the overflows with small rubble, would that act as a good filter and possible refugium for the system?"

Any thought on how this might work, or why it is a bad idea would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RLG2182]

Correct me if I'm wrong... but it would be great to have rubble in there since the standpipe would always have watter current, and always be under water. As for a fuge, fuge's need slower water movement, and since you'd be putting the plants/lights in an area that has the FASTEST water movement... it won't be as effective as a unit underneath your tank (in the sump/stand alone unit).

I'm going to build a fuge under my tank attached to my main sump. I'll have a small pump pump water from my sump into the fuge that will be slightly elevated, and then have it gravity drain via two bulkheads back into the sump.

 

[saltcreep1025]

I have no idea if it will work properly, but i do know that if you put a lot of rock rubble down there you will probably get a lot of pods down in there. I always make piles or rock rubble in the corners of my tank so I can watch all the little critters. If you have a light over it, you may be able to put some type of caulerpa down there. Id just be careful its nothing that will go sexual or become too invasive. Ive always liked shaving brush, maidens hair, and halimeda

 

[MadManMac]

Do you think the pods could survive the trip to my sump through the fuge and back to the main? That would be the only direction of travel unless they can crawl up a waterfall back into the tank.

I also thought I could use a piece of black tubing and let it run from the bottom of the overflow over the top of the overflow and down into the tank, kind of like a pod highway. Any more thoughts?

 

[gooyferret]

I would NOT recommend putting rubble into the overflow area. You will have alot of build up of DOC, and algae. I would put the refuge down in the sump. I actually covered my overflows so algae wouldnt grow in there (no light). Plus it would be a major pain to clean out them in the confined space the overflows have. JMHO. HTH

 

[MadManMac]

Actually, I have not had any algae grow in the overflows, and very little actually collects in them as far as DOC, so I am wondering what the difference between rubble in the overflos and rubble in ths sump, fuge, main tank would be. I am figuring the more rubble I can have the more natural filter I have and the more life and cleaner water I have. All thoughts and ideas appreciated, so keep them coming.