Refugiums!! store bought or home made?
- Thread starter reefnjeff
- Start date
reefnjeff
Member
ijji
do you remember the title of that post, I was thinking of putting the 10gal at a slightly higher level than the main tank, useing a power head to get the water in the 10, then drilling a hole at the level I want the water to be in the 10 putting in a tube to drain back in to the main tank, it's still in the thinking process, but it an idea.
do you remember the title of that post, I was thinking of putting the 10gal at a slightly higher level than the main tank, useing a power head to get the water in the 10, then drilling a hole at the level I want the water to be in the 10 putting in a tube to drain back in to the main tank, it's still in the thinking process, but it an idea.
reefnjeff
Member
jamesp
a refugium is a seperate area like another tank useing the same water in your main tank to safely refuge marine plants and isopods and so on!! it keeps them from being eaten or over growing your main tank with the added benefit of awesome nitrate and phosphate removal from the plant life that lives and grows in it, it can be used as a food source from all the lil buggies that will live in it, it helps from what I been reading on here to have miracle mud in it which i'm still unclear exactly what it is, you can also put your heater and filters on the refugium to keep them from cluttering your main tank.
a refugium is a seperate area like another tank useing the same water in your main tank to safely refuge marine plants and isopods and so on!! it keeps them from being eaten or over growing your main tank with the added benefit of awesome nitrate and phosphate removal from the plant life that lives and grows in it, it can be used as a food source from all the lil buggies that will live in it, it helps from what I been reading on here to have miracle mud in it which i'm still unclear exactly what it is, you can also put your heater and filters on the refugium to keep them from cluttering your main tank.
arpartyman
New Member
What type of plant would you put in it. It sounds like I need one with the nitrate problems I've had in the past. I guess what I'm asking it what all do I need with a refugium? And where can I get one?
dmaister
New Member
I also guess gravity is being used somewhere in your equation as well. Can I assume that you have some sort of j tube pulling from inside the tank to the outer container? (I'm not sure what those containers are called - some have the ridges/slots on the top of the container to pull in surface water.)
out on a limb
New Member
I went to the eco-systems web site and took a 20 gal tall tank divided it into 4 sections 1 more than the eco-systems retail refug. I have a skimmer and heaters in it 2 1 ½” for BB and the main section for the MM, plants & 2 lbs of LR. Cost a total of $115 inc the mag 7 ($48 inc ship, ----) tip – go with the thicker plexi-glass the thin is to thin for the water. Doh!!!
Working great.
Just putting the finishing touches on my gravity fed auto top off. Should be working tonight. Again saw the Nurse products from there site (retail starting @ $150 ????)
Mine – apx $15
DIY rules
Working great.
Just putting the finishing touches on my gravity fed auto top off. Should be working tonight. Again saw the Nurse products from there site (retail starting @ $150 ????)
Mine – apx $15
DIY rules
arpartyman
New Member
What type of caulerpa should I use? I looked on <a href="http://www.**************.com" target="_blank">www.**************.com</a> and they have a few diferent types. I only looked there because SWF.com is out.
reefnjeff
Member
I like the concept ijji of taking from the water surface of the tank to help remove that scum rather than under the surface with a power head, what is the purpose of the canister outside the tank rather than having the flow go dirictly in the refugium?? the canisters you are useing are they something you purchased or make them from items lying around the home?? now the flow from out of the main tank is syphon and gravity, are any flow control valves used?? and I assume that a particular water level has to be maintained in your main tank?? what type of pump do you use to push the water back up in to the main tank??
arpartyman
any type of red or green algae is useful, caulerpa is just a better choice, I have feather caulerpa and I got it off a piece of rock that I bought at a LFS, he tried to pull the plant off the rock, but I told him what ever is attached to the rock should be sold with the rock, so I got the plant which is the only reason I bought the rock...lol now I have a bunch of the stuff which I give clumps of it away occasionally, it does grow fast.
arpartyman
any type of red or green algae is useful, caulerpa is just a better choice, I have feather caulerpa and I got it off a piece of rock that I bought at a LFS, he tried to pull the plant off the rock, but I told him what ever is attached to the rock should be sold with the rock, so I got the plant which is the only reason I bought the rock...lol now I have a bunch of the stuff which I give clumps of it away occasionally, it does grow fast.
arpartyman
New Member
Ok cool. Now can I use a refugium that just hangs on the inside of the tank and put the plant in it. I've found one that that does this and has a powerhead attached. Will this help with my nitrates?
coralfishg
Member
hmmmm...I was woundering. can i make my sump into a refugium, I was already planning on taking out the bio balls, the only problem is that my skimmer is in it.
bigeyedfish
Member
You should be fine with the skimmer down there. I am planning on taking my bioballs out as well and converting my sump into a refugium. I believe you need to put the skimmer before the section w/LS and LR so that pods and critters dont have two chances or death in the skimmer and the pump back to the tank. This will also help cut down the microbubbles.
