Refugiums What? Why? Where? Pros? Cons? Who's Hot? Who's Not?

[LenMooreJr]

I am thinking of adding a refugium but as an engineer... want to see every angle, from multiple perspectives. I only want to buy it once and I want it to work!!!

[mahalamata]

Are you looking to buy a ready set-up one or are you looking to build one? What kind of tank do you have? If you are looking to buy a ready built one check these out

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CR1721

IMO refugiums are a great way to filter you tank. They help remove harmfull nutrients from the water and also once mature they are a good source of food for corals and inverts.

[GobyJohnKenobi]

I've been fine without one for a year now.

Not really a must-have.... but nice to tinker with. So I hear.

So far I haven't been able to convince myself of their usefulness for a nano tank. But I'm still trying. :)

[Xandernfs]

I have a DIY AC500 fuge on my tank. I'm goin skimmerless too. I love my fuge, it takes out most of my phosphates and pretty much all of of nitrates. I like my fuge a lot!

[Phong33]

I'm going skimmerless on my 29g and using my fuge for all of my nutrient export. The fuge itself is still new but I've had good experiences with fuges already. My 150g has a fuge running with it but I can't say how much it does exactly because I also run a euroreef skimmer on it. Here are some pics of my 29g setup. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1034941

[kaserpick]

I thought skimmer and refugium did similar jobs but on different levels. I thought the option was skimmer vs. water changes. I'm confused now. :P

[Rosseau]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9149370#post9149370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaserpick
I thought skimmer and refugium did similar jobs but on different levels. I thought the option was skimmer vs. water changes. I'm confused now. :P


I think you're correct in your thinking here. I believe that macro algae in a fuge will target a more limited range of nutrients to export.


Partly it depends on what you planning on putting into the fuge. Rock and sand is good, but I think it only really adds more bio filtration as in your display, so it's not really anything special. With algae growing in it, it will feed off of some "harmful" nutrients in your water.


LenMooreJr,

the bigger you can make it the better, just for the sake of added water stability. A larger volume of water is harder to pollute, swing ph, temp etc..

[Phong33]

I also agree that the fuge does not take out as much as a protien skimmer but skimmers also take out a lot of good stuff. I'm not saying skimmers are a bad thing as I'll never run a large tank without one. Most people don't have a DSB in their display for several reasons such as looks or as precautions aganist sand storms which can lead to crashes. IMO, DSB are a waste of space in smaller tanks. My 29g is only 18" tall and if I had a DSB, I'll be limited to no more 13". So I opted to put the DSB in the fuge instead.

[crabbejoe]

A plus for a refuge is that it's a great place for pods and other little creatures to grow and reproduce, giving the tank a natural food source. And you can grow macro algae in it for nutrient export. I don't have a fuge, but I want one!

[tiffrobbins]

I love my fuge and would not want to ever get rid of it. I keep everything ugly in it and it gives my main tank a very clean look with the advantages of a more natural system. I believe that we should try to achieve the most stable eco-systems possible. I think that a refuge helps reach that goal without spoiling the look of your display.

[kase]

i agree with everything said above.
there is alot of design with it come to a sump..i have seen people run fuge before they skim and i people run fuge after they skim. both having both is also a plus if you have room. if i had to choose just one i would do skimmer for big tanks and fuge for smaller tank B/C of space .
for a DSB in you sump/fuge i wouldn't doing. DSB can only run so long before it release stuff back into your tank and you have to change it. i would just use LR and a nice layer of sand or CC.

[matter1331]

Personally if you're going to do both there's only one way to go, skimmer before fuge. Otherwise you're going to be pulling out a good deal of those little organisms you want to get into your display. I run a fuge only on my 7 gallon and it does great, I haven't had any problems.