Question about a refugium

[fangelillo01]

I am wondering since i'm new to salt what the benefits of having a fuge. I have a new setup of a 40 long and the hangon ones are pretty expensive. Any ideas? I moved everything from my 20 gallon to my 40 and have the 20 sitting next to the 40 with ideas to put new frags or something in there.

 

[ajroc31]

The guy in the LFS made a very simple fuge. A 40 gal tank, a hose flowing into it, middle is all life rock with plants. He has the egg crate, I think that's what it is called, in the corner to prevent anything from flowing into it, with the return pump. This is on his frag tank, so perhaps it would this set up is ok, since not much waste. My first fuge was 20 long. I got a kit from ----, all the plaxi cut to fit the tank. Cost me 15$. I glued it together, and there you have it. As for the benefits. If you keep the light on at night, the macro will keep your ph more stable. All the little critter will freely reproduce providing food for your tank. Even a sick fish could do some healing there, granted its not a virus. Your macro will nicely remove the nitrates and phosphates, and it will compete with the algea in the tank. I will never have a tank without a fuge again.

 

[fangelillo01]

Ok so i'm sorry i have never worked with this refugium systems since i'm comin from cichlids tanks. Can you explain or can someone else explain a simple way to make my 40 flourish!! Once again i have a twenty thats empty that i moved all my corals from

 

[ajroc31]

Look up those refugium kits. Plaxi glass fuge hob or sump, are expensive. I lucked out, got a nice 50 inch with my 125 for 500$.
Really, you could turn the 20 into a small fuge pretty easily. Look up some instructions on how to make one. To make your tank flourish, its not really about all the equipment, lots of it is your maintance and understanding. It has gotten to the point where I do not make a move before researching it in one way or another. Fangelillo, what do you have so far, equipment wise?

 

[jstdv8]

basically on a basic set up the first chamber (lets say on the far left of your sump) is where the overflow water comes in. this is usually where your skimmer (if you use one) and heater(s) go. then there is a partition of glass or plexi that consists of two plates about 1" apart and one lower than the other. This partiton will be the highest in your tank so the water level in that section will also be he highest of the three sections. Then the next secion (and usually the largest) is the refugium. This is where the deep sand bed or miracle mud and some live rock and macro algae is all kept. lighting for the macro algae (or turf scrubber) is also located over this middle section. to the right side of middle is another partion built just like the first but lower. making the water level in this section second deepest in the sump. then the last section on the far right is where the return pump goes. nothing else except the return pump goes in this section so it only has to be big enough to fit your pump into and get it out for maintenance easily.
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=55324196
this is mine a while ago before I took all those rocks out and added them to my DT. My design is a bit different than some in that it allows for alot of drainage back intot he tank in case of a power outage without having to have a siphon break in the return line. Advantage, plenty of room for water since its only about half full. it also has three cool little waterfalls in it that are kinda neat and mix more air and water i suppose. Disadvantages. I have to keep up on my ATO or I'll runb the pump dry real easy, less water volume than I could ahve with different baffle configuration. As you can see I made my return pump section way too large so now my fuge isnt as big as i would have liked. Wasnt a big deal till I added my turf scrubber and wished i had a few more inches to play with.

 

[fangelillo01]

As far as equipment goes I have a marineland HOB filter to pickup garbage until i get a skimmer, 3 powerheads spaced one on the left one in the middle and one on the right, two heaters, 55 lbs live rock, 175watt MH, small household window fan for cooling. This is what i have so far, eventually i wanna upgrade but for now thats what i have. Does water from the fuge flow into the display tank?

 

[beaslbob]

Just to get going remember that all a refugium is --it is just a protected place for macros and pods to thrive.
All the is needed is to put an egg crate in you existing tank 3" from the glass and to add some side lighting so the macros sill thrive beteeen the glass and egg crate.
you can get all fancy later. but getting the macros protected will really help the tank.
my .02

 

[fangelillo01]

im sorry i'm kinda confused. I'm sure if i really thought about it alittle i could figure it out but can you explain alittle more on how i can do that??

 

[mell]

Yeah, I'm really wanting to do a refugium also on my 55, eventually later on my 125 probably also. I've got a 15 or 20 (can't remember which) tank I can use, but I'm confused on how to get the water down to it and then back up. And I'm afraid about it overflowing.

 

[bs]

Originally Posted by Mell
http:///forum/post/3269820
Yeah, I'm really wanting to do a refugium also on my 55, eventually later on my 125 probably also. I've got a 15 or 20 (can't remember which) tank I can use, but I'm confused on how to get the water down to it and then back up. And I'm afraid about it overflowing.
Getting water in and out of a sump/refugium
-The water is fed in to the sump from either an overflow box (or the pipes from your overflow if it is a drilled tank)
-The water is pumped back up to the DT with a pump* that is placed in your sump.
*Remember to make a siphon break in your return line(s). this can be achieved by simply drilling some holes in the line (these holes should be checked regularly to algae build up or anything that could clog the holes), just above or just below the water line. This will stop your return lines from acting as a siphon during a power outage. If this happens you will end up draining all of the water that is above your return hose opening in the DT.
OPTION 2- Have the opening of your return line(s) just below the surface, or at a depth that your sump can handle taking on all of the extra water.
That might be worded poorly. I hope it wasn't confusing.
Hope that helps a bit!

 

[mell]

Sorry, this may sound pretty dumb...but what's an overflow box?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by fangelillo01
http:///forum/post/3269803
im sorry i'm kinda confused. I'm sure if i really thought about it alittle i could figure it out but can you explain alittle more on how i can do that??
If this is aimed as a response to my post, you just put in the egg crate then add a light and the macros.
egg crate is the 1/4" square plastic grid light diffusers sold at hardware store for drop ceilings.
Let's see if I can post a simple drawing:

 

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by Mell
http:///forum/post/3269838
Sorry, this may sound pretty dumb...but what's an overflow box?
the only dumb question is the one not asked.
As water is bumped from the sump to the upper container water must also "overflow" (drain) to the lower.
An overflow box is an overflos design where a box (or boxes) are used to trap water as it drains below a certain level. Then as the water is pumped to the upper container it "overflows" down a drain to the sump.
Overflows can be made from pvc pipe as well as I show in an old thread here:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...highlight=trap
or this thread which links to several pvc overflow designs:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...=beaslbob+trap
my .02

 

[mell]

Man, I don't know if I'll ever figure this stuff out. I don't know jack about plumbing. It all sounds really complicated.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by Mell
http:///forum/post/3269900
Man, I don't know if I'll ever figure this stuff out. I don't know jack about plumbing. It all sounds really complicated.
If you ever figure it all let me know. I need the help also.
Meanwhile plumbing is fairly easy to learn with the help of the guys/gals at your local home depot.
my .02

 

[acrylic51]

Do you have a pic of your current setup?

 

[bs]

Originally Posted by Mell
http:///forum/post/3269900
Man, I don't know if I'll ever figure this stuff out. I don't know jack about plumbing. It all sounds really complicated.
Don't be scared of pluming, it all can seem a bit overwhelming but it really is very easy. Just buy, cut, piece it together, and glue!
There are overflow boxes that you can purchase too. If you're not wanting to make one check the classifieds for it, as this is usually a part can be quite expensive.

 

[mell]

My husband says he can do it, but we also play in a band together so he's constantly booking shows and making flyers and all that jazz. It takes up quite a bit of his time. My fish hobby is kinda the last thing on his mind...except when it's time to go shopping for a new fish or show them off to his friends. He gives me a hard time sometimes, especially when I was trying to talk him into the 125, but he loves them too! I promised I'd sell 2 of my 4 tanks to get it, but I haven't sold anything yet...uh oh.

 

[acrylic51]

Ohhhhhhh the promises

 

[jstdv8]

just go online or to your local fish store and buy an overflow box, they arent all that expensive. I really like the Eshopps one its sturdy and has a seperate chamber in the box on the back of the tank that holds the water level well above the drain tube going down to the sump. Mine is kinda wiggly but it works.
Just remember that your return pump has to be rated lower than your overflow tube coming out of your display tank (DT) or you will overflow your display tank. If the pump is rated for less you will just have less water circulating through the sump. I have a pump rated higher and I have a ball valve on my return line back to the tank so I can control the flow. I don't reccomend this way, its a pain in the butt.