Nano refugium?

[Prankster11]

I want to add a refugium/sump to my nano tank...i was wondering how much it helps with keeping nitrates down and i want to know a general design or pics of yours for inspiration...thanks

[G_Sanab922]

Can't tell you from first hand experience but a nice one is the hob design. It's nice.

Check out this thread
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2418299

[Prankster11]

Looks good...is a protein skimmer necessary?

[G_Sanab922]

Depends what you plan to have in your tank and how often you plan to do WCs. Right now I'm not running one but plan to in the near future.

[kentmoney]

Take a look at my thread here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2419103

I run a refugium on a 10g nano and it is essentially the only form of filtration besides bacterial and the occasional sponge pre-filter.

My nitrates and phosphates are usually undetectable, and I have a completely mixed reef with a good amount of fishies. And I feed a boat load too.

[Prankster11]

Depends what you plan to have in your tank and how often you plan to do WCs. Right now I'm not running one but plan to in the near future.

At the moment, I have a 6g fluval edge with a tank bred black false perc (got him when he was itty bitty, so no one get on me about the tank size that he should have), a peppermint shrimp, 3 hermits (I dont even know what type they are), 10ish mushrooom polyps, and a lot of dwarf ceriths.

I do weekly 50%ish water change...I have the room for about a 10g sump/refugium underneath the tank

I'm sure it would help, but would you suggest it, or just the weekly 50% water change?

Take a look at my thread here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2419103

I run a refugium on a 10g nano and it is essentially the only form of filtration besides bacterial and the occasional sponge pre-filter.

My nitrates and phosphates are usually undetectable, and I have a completely mixed reef with a good amount of fishies. And I feed a boat load too.


how big is the refugium on it...your tank looks amazing...so you dont have a protein skimmer?...do you dose anything to keep it down?

[enchelycore808]

I have a small one under my 15g. The fuge area is probably only 10x10" filled with caulerpa racemosa. I can't detect my nitrates with reagent style testers. Corals are happy and I feed pretty heavy every day. Also no protein skimmer because there was no room to fit one. I change about 5 gallons a week or every other week.

[G_Sanab922]

I have a small one under my 15g. The fuge area is probably only 10x10" filled with caulerpa racemosa. I can't detect my nitrates with reagent style testers. Corals are happy and I feed pretty heavy every day. Also no protein skimmer because there was no room to fit one. I change about 5 gallons a week or every other week.


Can't even put a nano skimmer?

[enchelycore808]

Can't even put a nano skimmer?

I wish... There is NO room! It's actually a modded fluval edge 12g and the sump is only big enough to fit in to one of those ikea cube style stands. Was kind of a requirement set by the girlfriend that it all had to look good and fit in the stand....

[Prankster11]

I found a 10 gallon, and im thinking that I might use my 6g fluval edge as the refugium and the 10 gallon as the DT...would that work?

[G_Sanab922]

Yea of course. That's fine. Just make sure it's set up correctly

[SkullV]

In my opinion, for nano tanks the refugium is more suited to adding a little water volume and providing a reFUGE for smaller fauna to multiply. For the most part, even when a skimmer is also utilized, most/all of the nutrient export will be provided through water changes. Chaeto/Caulerpa/Mangroves aren't really that good at taking up nutrients anyway.

Personally, I wouldn't waste your time with a fuge on a 6g tank or waste a nice fluval edge as a fuge for a 10g tank, unless you want a display refugium. Also keep in mind that as soon as you add a fish (and sometimes larger inverts) to a refugium it is no longer really a refugium, just a low efficiency nutrient export center.

[G_Sanab922]

In my opinion, for nano tanks the refugium is more suited to adding a little water volume and providing a reFUGE for smaller fauna to multiply. For the most part, even when a skimmer is also utilized, most/all of the nutrient export will be provided through water changes. Chaeto/Caulerpa/Mangroves aren't really that good at taking up nutrients anyway.

Personally, I wouldn't waste your time with a fuge on a 6g tank or waste a nice fluval edge as a fuge for a 10g tank, unless you want a display refugium. Also keep in mind that as soon as you add a fish (and sometimes larger inverts) to a refugium it is no longer really a refugium, just a low efficiency nutrient export center.


One of the reasons why I didn't go with one on my 20g

[enchelycore808]

I would think trying to work in and around the fluval edge as a refugium would be more hassle then it's worth. It's just be easier with the 10 as the sump because you can really work inside of it and fit more equipment.

[Prankster11]

In my opinion, for nano tanks the refugium is more suited to adding a little water volume and providing a reFUGE for smaller fauna to multiply. For the most part, even when a skimmer is also utilized, most/all of the nutrient export will be provided through water changes. Chaeto/Caulerpa/Mangroves aren't really that good at taking up nutrients anyway.

Personally, I wouldn't waste your time with a fuge on a 6g tank or waste a nice fluval edge as a fuge for a 10g tank, unless you want a display refugium. Also keep in mind that as soon as you add a fish (and sometimes larger inverts) to a refugium it is no longer really a refugium, just a low efficiency nutrient export center.

One of the reasons why I didn't go with one on my 20g



The reason for even thinking about using the fluval as a refugium was because I couldn't think of how to get the water into the tank below...I'm sure I would be able to find something....As I said earlier, I am thinking of doing something, and I just wanted an idea of how it would work, or really if it is possible

[SkullV]

For an edge, I would notch the plastic frame in the back for a 3/4" PVC and glue it in as a drain, do the same for a 1/2" as a return and run the whole thing sumped. I'm very biased in favor of sumped nano tanks though, on my fourth one right now (fifth if you count my dual nano system).

[enchelycore808]

Diy'ed an overflow to the back of my fluval edge. Wasn't fun or easy but it kept the oem look to it. Depends how much trouble you want to go through for 10 more gallons.

[Prankster11]

For an edge, I would notch the plastic frame in the back for a 3/4" PVC and glue it in as a drain, do the same for a 1/2" as a return and run the whole thing sumped. I'm very biased in favor of sumped nano tanks though, on my fourth one right now (fifth if you count my dual nano system).



Diy'ed an overflow to the back of my fluval edge. Wasn't fun or easy but it kept the oem look to it. Depends how much trouble you want to go through for 10 more gallons.

I'm not sure im going to do it......


Would a refugium help with a bigger bioload? I have heard some people say that bioload is a myth, but, personally, I dont think it is...

[enchelycore808]

I'm not sure im going to do it......


Would a refugium help with a bigger bioload? I have heard some people say that bioload is a myth, but, personally, I dont think it is...

Well, what it comes down to is margin for error and the tanks stability. In a overcrowded tank/small volumes of water, thing can go south VERY quickly. Gotta be on top of maintenance all the time. The beauty of nano tanks is the ability to quickly "reset" your water if things are starting to look bad. Pretty fast and easy to change 2-3G a week in the fluval. Instead of doing a whole refugium or a overcrowded setup, why not lightly stock both tanks as DTs? I did a fluval edge 6g macroalgae only tank next to the 12g edge coral tank and I would say both can be very attractive as DTs in their own way.

[SkullV]

Well, what it comes down to is margin for error and the tanks stability. In a overcrowded tank/small volumes of water, thing can go south VERY quickly. Gotta be on top of maintenance all the time. The beauty of nano tanks is the ability to quickly "reset" your water if things are starting to look bad. Pretty fast and easy to change 2-3G a week in the fluval. Instead of doing a whole refugium or a overcrowded setup, why not lightly stock both tanks as DTs? I did a fluval edge 6g macroalgae only tank next to the 12g edge coral tank and I would say both can be very attractive as DTs in their own way.

Because then you're stuck with two small systems. All depends on what you want though. I love my sumped SpecV. Can't think of any other nano id even want right now.

[dwaynenterprise]

I wish... There is NO room!

Have you looked into the Coralife Biocube skimmer? I managed to fit that bad boy in my "refugium" (AC70 mod) along with my heater. Working on getting a ball of chaeto too, seems like there is a fair amount of room left over :celeb2:

The skimmer has been probably the best investment i've put into this tank, aside from my light. It completely countered my 2 month battle of siphoning diatoms/red slime off my sand :headwally:

[diveredd]

+1

in my opinion, for nano tanks the refugium is more suited to adding a little water volume and providing a refuge for smaller fauna to multiply. For the most part, even when a skimmer is also utilized, most/all of the nutrient export will be provided through water changes. Chaeto/caulerpa/mangroves aren't really that good at taking up nutrients anyway.

Personally, i wouldn't waste your time with a fuge on a 6g tank or waste a nice fluval edge as a fuge for a 10g tank, unless you want a display refugium. Also keep in mind that as soon as you add a fish (and sometimes larger inverts) to a refugium it is no longer really a refugium, just a low efficiency nutrient export center.

[Prankster11]

I know that on my 135g tank the protein skimmer smells awful every now and then...how bad would a nano skimmer smell?

[SkullV]

I know that on my 135g tank the protein skimmer smells awful every now and then...how bad would a nano skimmer smell?

If you maintain it properly, it shouldn't smell at all. Skimmer is mostly worthless on a 6 or 10g tank though. Again, nearly all of your nutrient export will be done through water changes.

I do run a skimmer on my 12g system, but only because there is a sump which also allows me to carbon dose and do very few water changes.

[Prankster11]

If you maintain it properly, it shouldn't smell at all. Skimmer is mostly worthless on a 6 or 10g tank though. Again, nearly all of your nutrient export will be done through water changes.

I do run a skimmer on my 12g system, but only because there is a sump which also allows me to carbon dose and do very few water changes.

It smells because there was an automatic feeding issue that dumped too much food in when no one was in to take care of it....also we had a high amount of nitrates and we were dosing NO3xPO4 so it made a mess, and the dose really messes with the smell despite turning it off for a couple hours after the dosing

[SkullV]

That is a nutrient issue, and your skimmer helping to fix it, not a skimmer issue. Assuming you keep up with maintenance on your nano the skimmer really won't have a whole lot of work to do.