Reef Sanctuary
Become a Sponsor   Our Sponsors  

Welcome to the Reef Sanctuary forums.

We're a beginner-friendly Reef Aquarium community featuring saltwater fish tank discussion, reef aquarium supply reviews, free photo gallery and more!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to many of our features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! Want to check the place out first? Take a look at our Beginner's Guide for a quick tour of all the features we have to offer the marine aquarium hobbyist. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact support.

Go Back   Reef Sanctuary > Main Forums > Equipment
User Name
Password
Home Forums Photo Gallery Chat Product Reviews Live Coral Frags Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Equipment Discuss reef aquarium equipment including filtration, lighting, pumps, etc.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 01-16-2007, 05:28 PM   #1 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish
Tridacna maxima
 
bluespotjawfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Utah
Posts: 4,943
Question How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I was hoping you could help me out a bit by answering some questions.

What is the main reason you have a refugium on your tank?
How is your's set up and do you like it that way or is it a PITA?
If you started over, what would you do differently?
What type of maintenance does it require and how often?

One more - How big should it be for a 125 gallon tank?

If I add one I would need a DIY to make it fit, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth the hassle. Here are a couple of links for more info about the tank. Will post some pics of the sump area as soon as I can get some. Thanks in advance!

Lorraine's Rebuilding of 125 gal Tank

Christmas Tragedy in My Tank
__________________
Lorraine

To BB and all Bluespots -


Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow

Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards
bluespotjawfish is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 01-16-2007, 05:33 PM   #2 (permalink)
Warnberg
Acropora
 
Warnberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Tampa, Florida
Posts: 1,911

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I'm asking myself the same thing.

See my thread... refugium?
__________________
Dave

240 Gallon Tall Tencor (96"L x 30"T x 18"W)
4 250 Watt MH XM10K bulbs
2-54 Watt T5 Actinic
Euro-Reef CS8-2-RC
Jetstream 1 Calcium Reactor
4 Tunze Turbelle stream 6000 power heads
7095 Tunze controller
Warnberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2007, 05:57 PM   #3 (permalink)
Woodstock
The Wand Geek was here. ;)
 
Woodstock's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 25,502

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Refugiums are great for growing macro algae and pods. The macro algae are great for exporting nutrients & tang food, the pods are great for feeding fish.

In my situation, I really do not need a refugium. My reef gets by just fine with my make-shift, bulb lit section of my sump that is filled with cheato and ulva algae.
__________________
~Doni Marie~

GOT ICH???
My Victorious Battle with ICH
120 Reef Chronicle ~
Breeding Picasso Clownfish~
Massive 300 gal growout~
My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~
Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~

"Energy and persistance conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin
__________________________________________________ ______________________________________________
Woodstock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2007, 06:09 PM   #4 (permalink)
lcstorc
Sunshine Reefer
 
lcstorc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Cocoa Fl
Posts: 26,433

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I am very quickly learning to love my fuge. It not only grows macro and pods for food. bit gives me a nice controlable area for a DSB and to start base rock back to life. Not to mention that extra water volume is always a plus.
I'll let you know if I change my mind down the road but as of right now I think it is great!
__________________
Peace
LYNN


Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure
Lynn's 20g clown tank
Lynn's 90g of sunshine
Lynn's frag tank experiment

A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.
lcstorc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2007, 06:16 PM   #5 (permalink)
Disciple882542
Tuxedo Urchin
 
Disciple882542's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 280
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Here’s a pic of how my sump is set up. I've got a macro cage underneath a self ballasted 45 watt pc light (equivalent to 150 watt incandescent). It’s very easy to create and cheap to set up if you have room in your sump. The cage is simply a modified plastic storage bin I bought from Fred’s (like a Dollar General) and the light and reflector came from Ace Hardware. I’m going to add some chaeto in the next couple of days.



God bless,
Disciple
Disciple882542 is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 01-17-2007, 08:42 AM   #6 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish
Tridacna maxima
 
bluespotjawfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Utah
Posts: 4,943
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Thanks guys, this has given me a few ideas to ponder.
__________________
Lorraine

To BB and all Bluespots -


Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow

Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards
bluespotjawfish is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2007, 10:07 AM   #7 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813
Hey!Its not my fault
 
blue_eyes53813's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin
Posts: 8,024

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

You can not go wrong with a refugium.. They are great for pod breeding and always provide live foods for your livestock.... You wont be sorry you added one..
__________________
265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki


Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show

Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive


My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html
blue_eyes53813 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2007, 10:18 AM   #8 (permalink)
PhilOlsen
Has been struck by the ban stick
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Glendale Hts. Illinois (Chicago transplant to humor my wife)
Posts: 646
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Another benifit is that it adds water volume to your set up as well as giving you a place to hide your skimmer, heater etc. keeping it out of the display.
PhilOlsen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2007, 10:34 AM   #9 (permalink)
sasquatch
Brunt of all Jokes~
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: the very farthest west coast of canada
Posts: 8,981

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

In the truest sense of the word a refugium is what the name implies, a safe haven for lifeforms that wouldnt survive/deplete in our tanks. Personally I think its a shame they usually are hidden as there is way cool stuff going on in there.Steve
sasquatch is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2007, 10:55 AM   #10 (permalink)
lcstorc
Sunshine Reefer
 
lcstorc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Cocoa Fl
Posts: 26,433

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilOlsen View Post
giving you a place to hide your skimmer, heater etc. keeping it out of the display.
Wouldn't that be your sump or a sump/fuge combo? Many people do have combo sump/fuge, but personally I have two separate tanks for the very different purposes. This allows me to have low flow in the fuge instead of the much higher flow rate in my sump. My sump holds all my equipment and give me water volume. My fuge has a DSB, LR, and several types of macro as well as pods etc that come with these. I didn't want a combination since I was afraid the skimmer would kill too many of the pods that I want to get to my display live and in good health.
__________________
Peace
LYNN


Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure
Lynn's 20g clown tank
Lynn's 90g of sunshine
Lynn's frag tank experiment

A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.
lcstorc is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Old 01-17-2007, 11:23 PM   #11 (permalink)
Bg3489
Bryozoan
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 52
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I was wondering if it was possible to sustain not only pods but brine shirmp, etc. in a refrigerum? And if so if I have 2 tangs who love brine shrimp will there always be food for them flowing into the tank? Meaning no more flakes?
Bg3489 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2007, 11:50 PM   #12 (permalink)
Dentoid
Smile Maker
 
Dentoid's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 13,487
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I believe brine shrimp have to be raised in a higher salinity than a reef tank can endure. Someone else can chime in on this though.
__________________
Scott

Dentoid's Reeforama



Quote:
Originally Posted by rlcline76 View Post
I assure you there are nastier body parts one could put in a tank.
Dentoid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2007, 12:44 AM   #13 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish
Tridacna maxima
 
bluespotjawfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Utah
Posts: 4,943
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

I already have a sump with lots of toys in it (my new ASM G-2 skimmer, phosphate reactor, UV sterilizer, socks on the drain tubes). But, I'm thinking I could still find a place to put a smaller tank (or plastic tub) inside it (in the mid section) for LR rubble and macro algae. Since I don't keep much water in the sump, I'm thinking a solid sided container would work best so I have more water volume in the tub. I could run one of the drain tubes into the smaller tank.

If I do that, how is the best way to manage the flow from the fuge into the sump?
__________________
Lorraine

To BB and all Bluespots -


Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow

Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards
bluespotjawfish is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2007, 12:51 AM   #14 (permalink)
Frankie
Fuzzy Sticks
 
Frankie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: AStrangerInAStrangeLand
Posts: 11,218

My ReefSpace
Add yours!
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Brine shrimp is not a great food source. Mysis shrimp is much better in nutrients. It looks like everyone gave you great reasons to have a refugium. I love to show mine off and spend many hours with my daughter looking at the life in ours. We also keep a goby and sand sifting stars in the refugium.
Heres a picture of the one i made. Its not the standard kind of refugium because im always experimenting with new ideas but you can get the point.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg refugium 002 (Custom).jpg (37.1 KB, 137 views)
__________________
Quote:
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like. And I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." (Bilbo)

If we ignore the
environment

maybe it will just go away....

DIY Beckett Skimmer
New Horizons
Frankie is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2007, 01:34 AM   #15 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish
Tridacna maxima
 
bluespotjawfish's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Utah
Posts: 4,943
Re: How do I decide if I should add a refugium?

Looks nice Frankie, so how is it plumbed? Drain tube into the fuge, gravity flow out using the egg crate?
__________________
Lorraine

To BB and all Bluespots -


Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow

Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow

Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards
bluespotjawfish is offline   Reply With Quote
ReefSanctuary Sponsor
Reply

  Reef Sanctuary > Main Forums > Equipment



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:37 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.0.0 RC8
©2003-2007 Centropyge Productions LLC
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=


Page generated in 0.22034 seconds with 12 queries

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186