Suggestion

[Basile]

I've been looking for a place to post about my display refugium. Everytime i post it gets burried in a forum where usually i get tons of questions on Youtube and how do i get to do this.(Hopefully we'll have a forum dedicated to refugium soon thanks.)

I'm sure others have great refugium ideals and tricks to post but like me it gets burried with the flow.

I'm not saying i'm special i'm saying the refugium is an important part of the trade and some how its underscored and under represented. In that forum Identifications of friendly algae would be an assets also for those who wants to cultivate, or those who are going for pod production.

In any case. i'll just post a bit here to show you what i mean by possibilities with this thank you.


When i first started my display refugium, i treated it like another tank. With planing and not just thrown together and the result was pretty good.

My reason to make my refugium such a big part of my system is because i wanted to have a high nutrient system to accommodate my diversity from LPS, NPS, gorgonians and sponges.

The design involved the planing of a rock formation that would help with the filtration of both tanks, and offer an habitat to several species not quite meant for each other.hence the devide in the tank.

Its location above the reef was also calculated for the export of pods without being munched up by a pump so connected by a pipe and using only gravity.

The treatment of a complex refugium requires some dedication and involves reading a lot. More so because their isn't as much info about macro algae as their is fish or invert for that matter. So went through quite few mistakes to begin with.

For one thinking that algaes would just grow out of phosphate and nitrates; WRONG, Cheato can but more delicate and beautiful macro's needs a bit of TLC and some suppliments. like Iron; which is depleted quite fast.All the Iron in your tank is used in the first 20 min after its injection, its a chemical reaction actually that gives many macro's the ability to grow faster and better. Also part of their needs , high calcium will deter cyano and other pest algaes.

This conclude my presentation thank you.

 

[spiraling]

First off, having a forum dedicated to refugium sounds like a good idea. I see a lot of questions about them mixed in with the general topics.

For one thinking that algaes would just grow out of phosphate and nitrates; WRONG, Cheato can but more delicate and beautiful macro's needs a bit of TLC and some suppliments. like Iron; which is depleted quite fast.All the Iron in your tank is used in the first 20 min after its injection, its a chemical reaction actually that gives many macro's the ability to grow faster and better. Also part of their needs , high calcium will deter cyano and other pest algaes.

I am curious about your statement. I haven't read anything about using iron. Also where did you learn that high calcium would deter cyano? How high? Do you have any references you can share?

 

[Basile]

First off, having a forum dedicated to refugium sounds like a good idea. I see a lot of questions about them mixed in with the general topics.



I am curious about your statement. I haven't read anything about using iron. Also where did you learn that high calcium would deter cyano? How high? Do you have any references you can share?

I do, i have that somewhere in my database lol . I'll try to find it for both, but if memory serves( doing my Spock imitation) , its in the 490-550 range. It destroys it apparently i've red that years ago i have to dig it up it was a university paper i think. As for the iron

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/8/chemistry

Just found 2 article on Cyano but they're long and i'll have to come back to it to see which one is relevant.

 

[DaveK]

I like the idea of having a refugium forum area.

Although, the one on your system is about the best I've ever seen. Your not going to get too much competition.

You also have a refugium large enough to do a lot of good. Way too may refugiums are much to small to be very effective, and are more a "feel good" item on the system.

 

[Basile]

I like the idea of having a refugium forum area.

Although, the one on your system is about the best I've ever seen. Your not going to get too much competition.

You also have a refugium large enough to do a lot of good. Way too may refugiums are much to small to be very effective, and are more a "feel good" item on the system.

I agree, it has to do with size and what better excuse to make or have another tank than its good for my first one LOL . I can already hear the wives screaming at me ( or husbands) NOT another one.
Specially if it involves connecting them and having one higher than the other LOL

But jokes aside. many little tricks of the trade resides in those places we often neglect to show or even discuss and they get buried in the flow of other topics. That's why i think it would a good forum to exchange on it.

 

[Basile]

Some of the info you find if you search a bit and can adapt your systems.

 

[Basile]

I got my ideals from many source what to do and also what not to do or what i didn't want.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

@Travis

I like this idea too

the idea of having a refugium forum area.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Beautiful habitat!
PS I love your cat

Peace

 

[Basile]

In fishkeeping, a refugium is an appendage to a marine, brackish, or freshwater fish tank that shares the same water supply. It is a separate sump, connected to the main show tank.[1] It is a "refugium" in the sense that it permits organisms to be maintained that would not survive in the main system, whether food animals, anaerobic denitrifying bacteria, or photosynthesizers. For some applications water flow is limited in order to protect plants or animals that require slow flow. The refugium light cycle can be operated opposite to the main tank, in order to keep total system pH more stable (due to the uptake of acid-forming CO2 by photosynthesis occurring in the refugium during its "daylight" hours). One volume guideline for a refugium is 1:10 main tank volume.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugium_(fishkeeping)


" One volume guideline for a refugium is 1:10 main tank volume. "

I personally dispute that ratio. Refugium are as effective as you want given a fair volume to your reef tank. Don't get me wrong, those who don't really have the room for a big or as i believe 1/3 of your reef tank is preferable ; will still have some benefits. Mainly the production of pods, but in no way can a 1/10 of a reef tank can absorbs or process phosphates and the rest to a proper level.

The 1/3 ratio on the other hand will have an influence on that process plus the added bonus that comes from more water, rocks , sand and what ever can supplement your population of your reef.

Mine for example is 1/2 the size of my tank, because i chose to make it into a display that is equal to my reef. Thus the benefits are larger and i can have a system geared toward a high nutrient system for my demanding bio load. I feed not only fishes, but sponges, gorgonians and NPS all with different supplements. Such a Huge amount for any ordinary refugium would overload any benefit if i hadn't increase that ratio to 1/2.

 

[Basile]

The success of my refugium system is also due to some refinements i've done while building it.

Custom made ive made sure my refugium had a coast to coast overflow, just as my main reef tank.. An extraordinary addition that benefits the skimming process.

External like the main tank, the coast to coast skims a huge amount and help any skimmer to handle the overloads. The bulkhead on the side is the connection to the main reef.

2 inch underwater it prevents my fuge to dump its skimming into my main tank and the pods by gravity reaches the main tank without being munched up by a pump. That's the reason for the display fuge to be that high