Do I need a sump/refugium?

[BanditMan15]

i have a 70 gal Fluval tank with inlet and outlet in bottom of tank where goes down to my Fluval 305 canister filter. I am only planning on having fish and some anemones maybe but mostly fish for now. What's the importance of sump or refugium? Difference between the two? Can you use sump/refugium with this type of canister filter?

 

[lmforbis]

I dumped my canister for a sump in January. I wouldn't go back but a sump isn't necessary. Many people run successful tanks with canisters or hob filters. I run no mechanical filter. I have a protein skimmer in my sump and a refugium that has macro algae and some live rock. That is the extent of my filtration other than live rock in the tank. I like that things can be in the sump instead of the main tank. It adds about 20 gallons of extra volume. When I add things to the tank like calcium and alk I add them to the sump which is easier to access.

 

[reefkeeperZ]

I prefer sumps but no you don't need one. I've run many successful tanks with out them. And yes you could easily run both a sump and your canister, you would just plumb in your sump then hook your canister onto your sump.

Just my opinion here anemone should be considered the same difficulty as coral (if not more challenging) when it comes to tank life. they need the appropriate lighting as well as tank maturity, and quality water conditions to thrive.

 

[silverado61]

i have a 70 gal Fluval tank with inlet and outlet in bottom of tank where goes down to my Fluval 305 canister filter. I am only planning on having fish and some anemones maybe but mostly fish for now. What's the importance of sump or refugium? Difference between the two? Can you use sump/refugium with this type of canister filter?

If you plan on having anemones in the future I would run a sump with a powerful skimmer. Nems move around and if it decides to get chewed up in a power head or just pollute the tank the toxins can kill everything and the skimmer will help pull it out of the water column.
Just a thought.

 

[silverado61]

A refugium holds sand, live rock, macroalgae or any critter you want to keep safe like snails or pods. A sump holds skimmers, return pumps, etc.

 

[flower]

I had an anemone, and I used a canister filter the whole time without a hiccup. Sumps are great but you don't NEED one. LOL... we NEED a whole lot of the stuff we use to keep our tanks, but we do LIKE them! I prefer a sump system as well.

The only thing that is going to help if a toxic critter poisons the tank when it dies...is carbon, which makes keeping a canister filter that has a chamber just for that, a good thing when you think about it.

 

[bang guy]

The death of an Anemone often results in it releasing lots of unfired nematocysts. These seem to decompose slower than the rest of the Anemone for some reason. The result is that carbon will not pick the nematocysts out of the water column. Luckily, skimmers seem to pull them out fairly quickly, not immediately, but fairly quickly.

 

[reefkeeperZ]

Probably because Cnidae (which is what a nematocyst is) are the most complex intracellular secretion products know.

 

[beaslbob]

the sump by definition is the container at the lowest point in the system. Where the water is pumped to the highest.

A refugium is a protected area to keep macro algae, pods, and things away from fish and crabs that eat those things.

IMHO the best thing for any tank is a refugium with macro algae like chaetomorphia.

my .02

 

[BanditMan15]

Wow!! A lot to think about. I think I haven plenty of time for sump or refugium because for a lot of know my tank is only month old. So I have some time. I just bought a RO/DI system so hopefully my tank will thrive with this change. What should I start as a young tank next any ideas? I don't have a skim but have a UV should I change this? I have only t-5 39wtt bulbs in ballast start on these. Really would just like some input where I should go from here?

 

[pegasus]

If the tank is completely cycled, you can start by adding a small fish or two. Never add a bunch of fish to a new tank. This usually ends badly. Tend to the fish (or two) for about a month. If everything goes well, you can add another small fish or two. Do the same thing... tend to them for a month. If all goes well... you get the picture.

You don't need a skimmer right now, as there won't be much for it to do. Once the tank becomes more stocked, you should consider getting one, as they remove a lot of nasty stuff from the water.

If I have to choose between a sump and a refugium, I will always choose a refugium. A refugium will hold a skimmer and return pump just like a sump, but it also has a separate chamber for macro algae to grow. Macro algae helps in removing ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate from the water, which can greatly reduce the frequency of water changes. It's also a refuge where pods can live and breed. Some of the pods will work their way into the tank, where they become treats for many fish. Free food is a bonus to having a refugium.

If your T5 lights are bright enough to light the tank, they should be all you need for a fish-only tank. You didn't mention how many bulbs you have, so I don't know if it will be enough for corals. Example: Two bulbs... fish and low-light soft corals. Four bulbs... most soft corals and low-to-medium light LPS.

 

[flower]

You should really consider using a quarantine tank, it not only will keep your system pest and disease free, but will force you to space out how fast you add new fish each time.

Don't use the UV light, it kills the tiny critters we are trying to cultivate in a refugium, they swim at night. Your lighting is only good for mushroom, or non-photosynthetic corals.

 

[reefkeeperZ]

The UV would be great on a quarantine tank. thats where I run mine.

that way it helps to mitigate treatments like hyposalinity by helping to kill the waterborn phase of ich if the flow rate is slow enough through the sterilizer. unfortunately most sterilizers flow rate are way too fast out of the box for parasite reduction and need to be throttled back.

T-5 ho? or regular? how many bulbs?

 

[beaslbob]

FWIW before you go out a buy marine only fish, try a single male molly. If you can acclimate that to saltwater and it lives a couple of weeks then try the more expensive and delicate marine only fish.

you can always return or give away the molly and at best you're out $2 or so.

my .02

 

[reefkeeperZ]

interestingly enough male black mollies are easily acclimated to marine water and are hellacious algae grazers (if you happen to have a GHA problem in a tank they are a neat way to chop it back while you deal with the source)

 

[BanditMan15]

That's a great idea thanks! I am starting g up my QT tank this weekend ....lights are t5 fluorescent I don't know if they are HO one blue and one day 10kk....and right now I have 4 clowns 2 orange goby 3 damsels and 2 crab... Unfortunately I bought within a week I should have read up before getting to excited. My fault, but they seem to be doing great so far... Glad I got yall to help though just wish I did some more homework

 

[reefkeeperZ]

What is the brand and model # of your light fixture? we can tell you if its ho or not, determining that will play a huge role in what you can or shouldn't try to keep.

 

[reefkeeperZ]

Also you shouldn't have to QT the black mollies, fresh water ich cannot jump phylum and attack marine fishes or survive in a marine tank.

 

[BanditMan15]

fluval vicenza 260

 

[reefkeeperZ]

t5-HO those are high output t5's but with only 2 bulbs your still in the low/medium low, light range. you might be able to keep some less demanding sps like montipora digita or cap. but you should be safe with most LPS and softies. I wouldn't recommend anemone though, they generally require pretty hig light for longevity.