richierich2000
Member
how is the best way to start a refugium I am going to do it in a 29 gallon tank you guys are the pros so how can I get started
refugium!!
- Thread starter richierich2000
- Start date
colorado_reef
Member
Need to know what type filtration you have now and how much L/R is in your show tank. How big is the show tank?
If you are running a sump with no bio-balls and plenty of L/R in your show tank:
I would just get the substate in the new refugium, put the water in and just hook it up.
(make sure water temp,salinity are good) adding that much water if your off with the temp and salinity it could be death to all!!!but in my opinion if the salinity and temp are ok this will be fine (if your tank is at least 125g since your adding 29g and your old sump probably holds 5g to 10g)
but if you are running bio-balls or something like that then you need to slowly remove them so you dont crash your tank.if this is the case maybe you could run the refugium and the old filtration at the same time until the refugium is established.
Please anwser the questions about the size of the tank and the bioballs and the L/R before taking my advise!!!
I have a 150gal tank with plenty of L/R and no bio-balls and I added a 55gal refugium just by hooking it up and had no problems. but we need more details about your system!!
If you are running a sump with no bio-balls and plenty of L/R in your show tank:
I would just get the substate in the new refugium, put the water in and just hook it up.
(make sure water temp,salinity are good) adding that much water if your off with the temp and salinity it could be death to all!!!but in my opinion if the salinity and temp are ok this will be fine (if your tank is at least 125g since your adding 29g and your old sump probably holds 5g to 10g)
but if you are running bio-balls or something like that then you need to slowly remove them so you dont crash your tank.if this is the case maybe you could run the refugium and the old filtration at the same time until the refugium is established.
Please anwser the questions about the size of the tank and the bioballs and the L/R before taking my advise!!!
I have a 150gal tank with plenty of L/R and no bio-balls and I added a 55gal refugium just by hooking it up and had no problems. but we need more details about your system!!
richierich2000
Member
I have a 150 gallon tank with about 275# of l/r
I have a sump with out any bio balls just a skimmer I have a 29 gallon that I was useing for a hospital tank or to keep fish till I knew that they didn't have any thing. i have a extra over flow from my old tank so I was going to use that to get the water back in the sump. I have 2 no lights on it right now I am thinking about getting more light when i get it up and running
so I guess I need to know what to put in it?
I have a sump with out any bio balls just a skimmer I have a 29 gallon that I was useing for a hospital tank or to keep fish till I knew that they didn't have any thing. i have a extra over flow from my old tank so I was going to use that to get the water back in the sump. I have 2 no lights on it right now I am thinking about getting more light when i get it up and running
so I guess I need to know what to put in it?
colorado_reef
Member
I used 4" of sand in mine. I also bought 15 lbs of live sand and 20 lb of L/R. I waited 2 weeks before I added my calupra. I also have clams and mangroves in it.
predator
Active Member
I have 2lb per gallon of lr, a 4in dsb, bio-balls, a 12 gallon refugium built in my sump(all acrylic) and a monnster of a skimmer.
My refugium is on one end of my sump right next to my chamber with the return pump. I have a 201 ph in the main chamber that has airline tubbing pumping water into the refugium. And the water overflows back into the camber with the main pump. This elimanated having to get the water compatiable with the tank water. I put a dsb in with 10lb of lr and let it sit about a week before addind any kind of culerpa or macro algea. Now I have more of either than I need. I have a 13 cf over the refugium and all is well!!
My refugium is on one end of my sump right next to my chamber with the return pump. I have a 201 ph in the main chamber that has airline tubbing pumping water into the refugium. And the water overflows back into the camber with the main pump. This elimanated having to get the water compatiable with the tank water. I put a dsb in with 10lb of lr and let it sit about a week before addind any kind of culerpa or macro algea. Now I have more of either than I need. I have a 13 cf over the refugium and all is well!!