Refugium

[Lemonsong]

Hey everyone out there,

I have a question for you. I have a mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus) and I have had them for some time. He is in a 90 gallon reef tank with 185 LBS of live rock. I was looking at refugiums to help with the reproduction of copepods. I understand that the benefits of a refugium outweigh the negatives but I have a number of questions surrounding this topic.

I do not have a sump...it kills me to say this but I dont. I have wanted one but alas I have a canister filter...but I was wondering if there was a way to put a refugium on the tank some how without the sump. I have seen the "hang on type" which I cannot find a site to ship to canada and none of my LFS have them (or will be getting any of them).

This is kind of wierd but im just trying to make this work...I love, I mean I LOVE my mandarin (he was the guy who got me all started in the hobby) and im just trying to give him the nuetrition he needs to survive. Also I cannot run the Reverse light cycle...I understand the whole "photosythesis and resperation bit" but I dont want this to hurt my tank.

Well I hope that at least someone can awnser this for me and provide me with a way to help make this refugium a possiblility. Thanks a million in advance and happy fish keeping

 

[melosu58]

I run my fuge lights 24/7. I`m sure there is a way you can do it the way you are talking about but I`m having a hard time understanding the reasoning. I understand your love for the manderin but none of the stuff you mentioned will hurt him or the tank. They can only be a benefit to your tank.

 

[flamingonhot]

If you really must have a refugium simply build one. Cheaper then buying a premade one out of a catalog or something. Right now your tank seems pretty stable and mandarin is still alive and eating normally with enough live rock so you don't really need it unless you feel it's necessary. Like melosu said, it will only benefit you, nothing will be affected if you don't have one. Your copepods will have plenty of room to breed and supply a constant food source for the mandarin for a long time hopefully...

 

[Lemonsong]

So no ideas about the refugium. And I understand that it wont take away from the tank only add to it. The copepods will constntly grow well enough with that supply but I would love a refugium. I have a 10 gallon tank that I would like to turn into a refugium can anyone out there help me please that would be great.

 

[Guest]

i have a 10 gal refuge...i have it connected to the sump through u tubes(check out my gallery). very simple design. but since you dont have a sump i really dont know how to help you out. maybe setup an overflow box and have it drain into the 10 gall then pump the water back into the main tank. i constantly have copepods, arthropods, and mysis shrimp going into the main display. the refuge will be a great addition to your tank and for the livelyhood of your mandarin. hth

 

[tecwzrd]

If you want a refugium bad enough there is no reason not to DIY with tons of helpful articles listed below. With a 90 gal tank you have tons of room to add one so the only thing stopping you is the time/money required to do it.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/refugiumsetups/
http://www.seahorse.org/library/articles/DIY/diyRefugium.shtml
http://www.mindspear.com/reef/refugium/index.htm

 

[austinsdad]

maybe setup an overflow box and have it drain into the 10 gall then pump the water back into the main tank.

Not the hookup expert, but that's what I was thinking too. If you can, try a 20g.

 

[Lemonsong]

With the refugium I am trying to make this work as best as I can, here are my conclusions:

A) I follow this plan http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hagenrefugart.htm except I use an aquaclear 500 instead. Fill it with a deep sand bed and lots of live rock. Grow lots of corraline algea and off we go...

or B) I place a 10 or 20 gallon hooked up by a powerhead in the main tank sending water to the refugium...but one question how would I plumb it back?

Well those are my plans of attack...I hope someone can help me and give me there opinions and hopefully make this one step closer to happening. Thanks a mill

 

[austinsdad]

If A works for you, this should work better. 4.7g of HOB fuge. Gonna have to light on the same cycle as the main though. Otherwise for B, the ideal IMO would be to have your 20g higher than your main and gravity flow down thru the top of the fuge tank. Would have to do a bulkhead hole at the top on one of the sides. But check this out. I had the large one on a 72g, but too close to the wall. Didn't use it and enjoy it like I should have, but it was nice.

http://www.cprusa.com/products/aquafuge.html

 

[melosu58]

Gravity fed down to the fuge pump back up to the main. Plan B

 

[seaham358]

What kind of room do you have above next too and under the tank..
A fuge can go just about anywhere you have room. My friend has his above the tank, a pump is used to pump water from the tank into the fuge and the dank is drilled in the back and it gravity feeds the tank. One of mine is next to the tank and it is all gravity fed.. there are many ways to do things..