Susanedw
Well-Known Member
Had this in the main forum but decided to put here as well for other RS owners to weigh in. Probably should have put the other one in the beginner thread.
Decided it’s time to do a refugium. Reasons: Help control nitrates, pod population, possible other critters that I can’t use in dt, have a nice planted aquarium with some rock. Much of what I find out on the net is for sump refugiums. As I can’t put it below main tank (too big), I decided to do a display refugium. Will have to decide if it runs opposite dt or not or if lighting from each would interfere with needed dark time as they are close together
I picked up a 29 gal complete aquarium kit for my display refugium. My DT tank is a RSM c250 66 gal, so I think a 29 gal will be a good addition, and large enough (more than 50% of water volume which I estimate at 46 gal) to be useful. I’m assuming I do not need the bio wheel filter. It has LED lights and moonlights and heater, which I also won’t need but nice to have a backup. The stand I ordered will hold 2 tanks of that size so the smaller quarantine (when I get it) will go on bottom.
It won’t stand tall enough to be able to use gravity to feed back to display which I’d hoped for to protect pods. So I’ll have to get a pump to use for the return to main tank.
Should this be a deep sand bed. 4 or 5 or 6 inches? I won't be able to ever vacuum the sand with pods and plants planted.
Here are some questions.
-PVC pipe or flexible tubing? Stand will be on wall facing tank by the corner. See pic at end. Tank is just under 3 feet from corner, so new stand will be right at the corner. So less than 3 feet separate. Looks are important to me. Whatever I use, I might paint it same color as wall and fasten to the wall with brackets.
-I might have a bag of caribsea sand left from the setting up the main tank. It was live but the dog chewed holes in it so lost much of the water. Assuming it can still be used, just not live anymore?
-have some dry rock left so will put in a piece or two. Esp. the pukani left. Not a lot, just some for pods to hide
-have to decide if I'm painting the back or using black background taped. If I paint, what do I use?
here is what I have so far. No diagrams but pics. This first image is the front view of my sump as though the tank wasn't there and the glass is black of course. My first thought to add a overflow box from sump to refuge will not work. There is no place/access/room to put it. On top of that, the sump is a good 3 + inches lower to allow for flood control, and the overflow boxes aren't deep enough to reach to water level.
.
That means no gravity feed to refuguim which is a bummer so I guess I need to use the chiller accessory (#10) to go to the refugium. I don't have a chiller yet. There are 2 ways I think I can do this.
#1 use a separate pump as shown (#11). when I add a chiller, change plumbing to go to chiller than to refugium and back to tank
#2 Use the return pump (#7) to go to the refugium, and then a pump to go back to that return, reserving the chiller area for a chiller later.
To return to main display: Pump from refuge directly into the main tank with a black pipe or tubing that drops down, releasing water lower into tank (for any pods that make it through and to keep pumps and foam blocks in sump from being clogged with stuff from refuge. I'd use some kind of nozzle/spray bar to keep flow from disrupting sand bed). See some questions return water to main tank below.
This image is of my sump. Next picture after this at end of post is of my tank setups.
Okay, the main dt is approx 37" long.
From end of tank to Wall approx 34"
From end of tank to front of refugium 20" (might be less if I have to pull tank out from wall a bit.
From floor to top of refuge: 50"
Main tank just under 60" with top of sump 4 inches lower
Plumbing outlet would run from the side with the red sea logo to the refuge and back again. Below the refuge will be the quarentine tank. Right now I have a 10 not yet set up and may upgrade to a 20. It would be separate plumbed of course.
So my choices at this point to get water back to main tank: (if there are more choices feel free to share):
#1 Use internal pump to go back to dt (and make sure nothing gets sucked in) much like I pump water into main tank with water changes
--This method means I need either an overflow box inside one corner or a weir/baffle separating the main refuge from where I put the submersible pump
--Use an internal box or weir attached to glass that will fit the pump inside it but not sure if they are deep enough (usually 5 inches) to handle enough water with a pump, even though water is constantly moving inside it
--Read that you shouldn't have 2 pumps for a refugium--pump either to or from but not both and use gravity for the other. I can't see how I can use gravity
#2 Use an external pump to somehow pump to the back of main tank, either into the sump or into the tank itself
--Can't really find any external water pumps or see how to do this. Seems like I'd have to drain into a small canister filter that will then pump water back to main display. If I did this, I'd use rubble inside only to protect pods and not the filter media. I don't need a large one--just need to go the 3 feet to the main tank and the lift is less than 10 inches or so. Wouldn’t need an overflow box with this method and pods wouldn’t be shredded
Advantage of external pump or canister is it will keep heat out of that small tank. Esp. with no chiller yet. I will add a fan to the display and another one to the main to put off the chiller as long as possible.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Aqua...UTF8&qid=1489456675&sr=1-20&keywords=chillers
So pros and cons?
Suggested products?
Does any of this make sense? any help or suggests welcome and will clarify if I'm not clear here. It's a lot to think about and try to put into words <g>
Decided it’s time to do a refugium. Reasons: Help control nitrates, pod population, possible other critters that I can’t use in dt, have a nice planted aquarium with some rock. Much of what I find out on the net is for sump refugiums. As I can’t put it below main tank (too big), I decided to do a display refugium. Will have to decide if it runs opposite dt or not or if lighting from each would interfere with needed dark time as they are close together
I picked up a 29 gal complete aquarium kit for my display refugium. My DT tank is a RSM c250 66 gal, so I think a 29 gal will be a good addition, and large enough (more than 50% of water volume which I estimate at 46 gal) to be useful. I’m assuming I do not need the bio wheel filter. It has LED lights and moonlights and heater, which I also won’t need but nice to have a backup. The stand I ordered will hold 2 tanks of that size so the smaller quarantine (when I get it) will go on bottom.
It won’t stand tall enough to be able to use gravity to feed back to display which I’d hoped for to protect pods. So I’ll have to get a pump to use for the return to main tank.
Should this be a deep sand bed. 4 or 5 or 6 inches? I won't be able to ever vacuum the sand with pods and plants planted.
Here are some questions.
-PVC pipe or flexible tubing? Stand will be on wall facing tank by the corner. See pic at end. Tank is just under 3 feet from corner, so new stand will be right at the corner. So less than 3 feet separate. Looks are important to me. Whatever I use, I might paint it same color as wall and fasten to the wall with brackets.
-I might have a bag of caribsea sand left from the setting up the main tank. It was live but the dog chewed holes in it so lost much of the water. Assuming it can still be used, just not live anymore?
-have some dry rock left so will put in a piece or two. Esp. the pukani left. Not a lot, just some for pods to hide
-have to decide if I'm painting the back or using black background taped. If I paint, what do I use?
here is what I have so far. No diagrams but pics. This first image is the front view of my sump as though the tank wasn't there and the glass is black of course. My first thought to add a overflow box from sump to refuge will not work. There is no place/access/room to put it. On top of that, the sump is a good 3 + inches lower to allow for flood control, and the overflow boxes aren't deep enough to reach to water level.
.
That means no gravity feed to refuguim which is a bummer so I guess I need to use the chiller accessory (#10) to go to the refugium. I don't have a chiller yet. There are 2 ways I think I can do this.
#1 use a separate pump as shown (#11). when I add a chiller, change plumbing to go to chiller than to refugium and back to tank
#2 Use the return pump (#7) to go to the refugium, and then a pump to go back to that return, reserving the chiller area for a chiller later.
To return to main display: Pump from refuge directly into the main tank with a black pipe or tubing that drops down, releasing water lower into tank (for any pods that make it through and to keep pumps and foam blocks in sump from being clogged with stuff from refuge. I'd use some kind of nozzle/spray bar to keep flow from disrupting sand bed). See some questions return water to main tank below.
This image is of my sump. Next picture after this at end of post is of my tank setups.
Okay, the main dt is approx 37" long.
From end of tank to Wall approx 34"
From end of tank to front of refugium 20" (might be less if I have to pull tank out from wall a bit.
From floor to top of refuge: 50"
Main tank just under 60" with top of sump 4 inches lower
Plumbing outlet would run from the side with the red sea logo to the refuge and back again. Below the refuge will be the quarentine tank. Right now I have a 10 not yet set up and may upgrade to a 20. It would be separate plumbed of course.
So my choices at this point to get water back to main tank: (if there are more choices feel free to share):
#1 Use internal pump to go back to dt (and make sure nothing gets sucked in) much like I pump water into main tank with water changes
--This method means I need either an overflow box inside one corner or a weir/baffle separating the main refuge from where I put the submersible pump
--Use an internal box or weir attached to glass that will fit the pump inside it but not sure if they are deep enough (usually 5 inches) to handle enough water with a pump, even though water is constantly moving inside it
--Read that you shouldn't have 2 pumps for a refugium--pump either to or from but not both and use gravity for the other. I can't see how I can use gravity
#2 Use an external pump to somehow pump to the back of main tank, either into the sump or into the tank itself
--Can't really find any external water pumps or see how to do this. Seems like I'd have to drain into a small canister filter that will then pump water back to main display. If I did this, I'd use rubble inside only to protect pods and not the filter media. I don't need a large one--just need to go the 3 feet to the main tank and the lift is less than 10 inches or so. Wouldn’t need an overflow box with this method and pods wouldn’t be shredded
Advantage of external pump or canister is it will keep heat out of that small tank. Esp. with no chiller yet. I will add a fan to the display and another one to the main to put off the chiller as long as possible.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Aqua...UTF8&qid=1489456675&sr=1-20&keywords=chillers
So pros and cons?
Suggested products?
Does any of this make sense? any help or suggests welcome and will clarify if I'm not clear here. It's a lot to think about and try to put into words <g>
