How important is a refugium?

dinosaursrule

New Member
I have 125 gallon aquarium, and I am considering setting up a refugium. If I do, what recommendations do you have for someone who has never used a refugium?
 

anonome

Active Member
Originally Posted by dinosaursrule
http:///forum/post/2633886
I have 125 gallon aquarium, and I am considering setting up a refugium. If I do, what recommendations do you have for someone who has never used a refugium?
Welcome to the boards!! You will learn quite a bit of info here.
On to your question....A refugium is an absolute must if you are planning on keeping any corals, or fish that require copepods as their diet, mandarins in particular. I would like to hear a little more about what kind of refugium you are planning........hang on back, or in the sump section of your set up? What type of tank is it? Fish only, or reef set up?
I have a 125 that is going on 3 yrs (in this tank) and have a hang on the back type. In it I have live rock, miracle mud, and chaeto. I have tons of pods, and currently house a male and female green spot mandarins. They are nice and plump. This would most likely not be achieved without a refugium. Besides fish that eat pods, many corals benefit from pods. A refugium is a great place to breed them and thus repopulate the tank with them to feed corals too.
 

morval

Member
do you already have a sump? aside from growing free fish food a refugium is beneficial for keeping macro algae that will reduce nitrates
 

mr_x

Active Member
hi. i don't think a refugium is a must, but it's certainly beneficial to any tank. i would recommend one.
the macroalgae will pull nutrients from the water, thus making it cleaner. any added natural filtration is a good thing.
many have gotten along without a refugium, and had successful reef tanks, with or without dragonets, but if you are the type that feeds heavy, or has a large bio load, then you'll be glad you set one up.
 

scsinet

Active Member
I kept a successfull reef tank for years without one, so I agree with X that it's not necessary. Nowadays I have fully embraced them.
If it comes down to choices based on budget, a skimmer should be purchased before a refugium is deployed. If you can do it, a fuge will do nothing but help though.
 

dinosaursrule

New Member
Currently the 125 gallon has a skimmer on the back of the stand, and a fluvall fx5 filteration system that sets inside the stand. I am open to suggestions as to what is needed to set up a refugium. Thanx
 

mr_x

Active Member
you need a way for the water to reach the refugium. if the tank is not drilled, you'll have to purchase a HOB overflow box. also, you will need the actual refugium.
i'd suggest partitioning a basic glass tank(the largest one you can fit in the area you have allotted) in 3, and then have the refugium in that. there are many designs for sumps with refugiums, and i'm sure you can do a search here and find plenty of info.
i like the- intake, refugium, return layout.
or, you can simply purchase a sump built with a refugium in mind, but these are very expensive.
what to put in it is debatable also. what will your refugium do? just filter the water, or will it be a place for pods to grow as well?
if just filtration, you can simply toss some macroalgae in it and put a light over top and you are done. if it is to be a place for pods to grow as well, then i'd suggest a sand bed and maybe even some rock/rock rubble at the bottom, along with the macroalgae.
you can even use this as a place to house a deep sand bed. (4 inches or more)
 

otley 1975

Member
I knew a guy who had just fuge and no skimmer. His tank well est and had plenty of live rock. His corals looked great. I would go with a fuge if you have the space and money to set one up. As X said get as big a sump/fuge as you can, the more room the better.
 
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