Refugium Size vs Tank Size

[andymi]

Is there a rule of thumb for size of refugium vs. tank size?
Also has anyone had the need to use two tanks to build the sump and refugium and somehow link them together? I have enough room on one side of my stand for about a 20 gallon and was really wanting more surface area for the refugium and sump.
Also will macroalgaes grow with standard FLO's?
Just curious as I want to buy some tanks and put them in my stand before I put the 150 on it this weekend and start filling up. Much easier to add them now and do the work on em later
--andy

 

[mr . salty]

The bigger the better..Use the biggest tank you can fit under there. I also needed to use a seperate tank for my refugium.That is really the best way to have it setup,As you can regulat the flow rate seperatly.Not just rely on the main return pump from the sump.That is usually too fast of a flow for the algae to truly work...You should be lookin at less that 100 gph through the refugium.The less,the better.I just turned mine down even mpore,So I doubt if I am even passing 50gph through mine now.....And regular/NO flos will work fine.Just run them 24/7...

 

[johnnysalt]

Andymi,
I combined my sump with a refugium....more ppl are doing that it seems...To slow down the flow in one section my lfs guy gave me this idea. With the ball valve, shown in red in the pic on the return line, I can give the refugium section as little gph as it needs. It's gonna work for me, maybe you too!
[ September 10, 2001: Message edited by: JohnnySalt ]