[2455coop]

I have had a total misunderstanding of the word REFUGIUM for quite a while now. After much reading I now understand the word and my tank.

A refugium is an extension of the main show tank. It is derived from the word refuge. A place where docile fish and inverts have a place to be without fear of being attacked or eaten. It may also have delicate corals as well. Also a refugium should be seen. A refugium should have the same water and filteration system as your main tank. It is also another place to showcase your talents.

What I have in my tank, however, is a wet/dry that I have converted into a reverse photosynthesis device. i have an overflow that flows over a prefilter and then down to my sump/reverse photosynthesis device. Now I know that is one huge word. But let me explain. This device is a wet/dry box that i split into two equal parts with a baffle in the middle. Where the water drains is about 12" deep. I have a DSB of about 2" to 3" and it is full of grape caulerpa (C. Racemosa) and a few snails. The left side is my sump.

The whole purpose of this device is to be a true biological filteration system. This biologcal filter is beneath my tank, hidden away from everybody. I have dual daylight pc lights (36 watts or 4.8 watts per/g) on it for 12 hours a day opposite from the main display. The disolved waste from the main tank feeds the macro algae in the filter. The waste is liquid fertiler and I have to thin my caulerpa every 4 to 5 weeks.

At first I didn't understand this process. I have since learned that by having a true biological filter that all my water parameters have stabilized. This filter seems to help remove all sorts of imputities as well as increase the dissolved oxygen in my tank.

I didn't come up with the name reverse photosynthesis device but it fits my device perfectly.