What is a refugium?

[LovinDaReef]

I hear people mention this word many times, what is it and can it help my 10 gallon reef?

[funman1]

Refugium is like a refuge for isopods, copeopods, etc..
It's a place where they can beed and not be eaten.
Many people also grow macro alage such as cheato to remove nitrates from the tank.

Putting a fuge on a small tank like a 10 would be hard but IMO they are always worth it.
Google for the term to find MANY different setups

[Smork81]

Got this from WIKI Should help ya out in understanding it a little. Search for the word here on the forums and you will com eup with all kinds of post about what it is and how usefull they are.

A refugium is an appendage to a marine, brackish, or freshwater fish tank that shares the same water supply. For some applications water flow is limited in order to protect plants or animals that need very slow water. The refugium light cycle can be operated opposite to the main tank, in order to keep the total system pH more stable (due to the uptake of acid-forming CO2 by the refugium during its daylight hours). One size guideline is 1/10th main tank volume.

A refugium may be used for one or more purposes such as denitrification, nutrient export, plankton production, circulation, surface agitation, oxygenation or aesthetic purposes

[LovinDaReef]

Is it possible to DIY one?

Could I keep a bucket with saltwater in it next to my tank, maybe with an air pump so it's not stagnant?

[Aquarist007]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4527.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4524.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4520.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4521.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4522.jpg

[rgun2515]

capn_hylinur, I thought it was better to have the skimmer BEFORE the refugium? If you have good results, this would make my life a LOT easier...

I heard after kils pods...

[Smork81]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740716#post11740716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4527.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4524.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4520.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4521.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r107/reefescapetangster/IMG_4522.jpg


I love that set up!!! I am going to have to make me one similar to this. I have been looking around and haven't found one I liked yet but now i have! :D All I have is a 29 gallon thats just open with a strip light. Thanks for posting that Capn!

[Tswifty]

I like the seperated fuge Idea... I don't think you need a skimmer on a 10g tank, just keep up with water changes, although they do sell nano skimmers which are usually hang-on.

a fuge will do 2 main things:

1. FILTRATION -- give you a place to grow macroalgae and copods and all that fun stuff which feeds your tank and will filter nitrates

2. DILUTION -- a refugium will increase your overal water volume which will help protect you against any contaminates, and help your tank to be less succesptable to sudden spikes

All you need to do is figure out a way to get water to the fuge via a powerhead or something and just elevate your fuge a little and gravity feed it back to the tank.

10g platic tote from lowes $3, a cheap bulkhead, a little pvc and your in business.

just don't elevate the fuge too much or you risk an overflow if the power goes out.

[Tswifty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740781#post11740781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Smork81
I love that set up!!! I am going to have to make me one similar to this. I have been looking around and haven't found one I liked yet but now i have! :D All I have is a 29 gallon thats just open with a strip light. Thanks for posting that Capn!

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/165449New_Filtration_System.jpg

haha... agreed!!! I wonder how many RC'ers have set-ups like this thanks to the Cap'n.

[LovinDaReef]

I've built a wet/dry for my freshwater tanks before, seems like similar work.

In freshwater tanks, I kept the fish very small to tank size, it let the plants flourish. Can I use this same concept in salt? Keep mobile inverts to a minimum and have more rock than anything?

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740768#post11740768 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rgun2515
capn_hylinur, I thought it was better to have the skimmer BEFORE the refugium? If you have good results, this would make my life a LOT easier...

I heard after kils pods...

it is-----the skimmer intake pump is in the far right corner of the tank where the water first enters
Water from the fuge enters the tank at the far left corner where the return bulkhead is--then back to the tank

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740931#post11740931 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LovinDaReef
I've built a wet/dry for my freshwater tanks before, seems like similar work.

In freshwater tanks, I kept the fish very small to tank size, it let the plants flourish. Can I use this same concept in salt? Keep mobile inverts to a minimum and have more rock than anything?

I am not sure of your question here--but in saltwater inverts are very important as a source of nutrietents for fish and for corals.

I don't know how you would keep the inverts to a minimum

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740781#post11740781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Smork81
I love that set up!!! I am going to have to make me one similar to this. I have been looking around and haven't found one I liked yet but now i have! :D All I have is a 29 gallon thats just open with a strip light. Thanks for posting that Capn!

you would be interested in this thread then:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1207565

[LovinDaReef]

I would just not buy any inverts... (shrimp, snails, and whatnot)
There will be 1 tiny fish, and corals will be a minimum.

Basically, what creates waste? Do corals create waste? I know fish do, and cleaner shrimp probally do.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11741099#post11741099 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LovinDaReef
I would just not buy any inverts... (shrimp, snails, and whatnot)
There will be 1 tiny fish, and corals will be a minimum.

Basically, what creates waste? Do corals create waste? I know fish do, and cleaner shrimp probally do.

everything creates waste(a bioload) but the fish are the biggest producers, then the corals and finally the inverts
Keeping a reef tank is all about balance--snails shrimps and crabs, brittle stars etc are very usful for consuming the bioload far more then producing it.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11740573#post11740573 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LovinDaReef
I hear people mention this word many times, what is it and can it help my 10 gallon reef?

back to this original post---it is your live rock and sandbed that takes care of your biological filtration of your tank.
Increasing your invertebrates will help this process.
Weekly water changes will take care of the rest.