Are Refugiums Useless

[lex_lutha111384]

I am going to be tearing down my 90 gallon "low tech tank" soon and setting up a new RR with a 40 breeder diy sump. I am trying to decide on the best setup, and I am leaning towards ditching the whole refugium section. I mean will a little 12" section of my sump really make that big of a difference??? I am thinking of doing it like so.........

[/IMG] I will most likely throw some live rock in there somewhere as well. Maybe somewhere in the skimmer box, and I do plan on adding a BRS dual reactor. Thoughts??

 

[HuuTa]

i took out all my cheato and pack it with live rocks in my refugium now.Didn't see much of a difference

 

[PSU4ME]

I've read about this before and If i remember correctly, a true refugium should be like 20-30% the size of your DT. Most of us have undersized refugiums according to that. I think that unless you have a seperate tank for a refugium then sectioning off a piece of the sump is just to control the chaeto....an area for stuff to grow without interferring with other stuff. No predators in a sump so technically the whole sump is a refugium.

I wouldn't say it is useless because you still benefit from chaeto and water volume but adding a small section to you tank isn't going to change the world.

 

[dannyp02908]

i only have it for pods to reproduce. beyond that, it is probably too small for any real nutrient reduction. I dont even bother pruning it unless it is growing out of the water.

 

[Matt L.]

I use a pump-to refugium. In other words, it's not part of my sump.

Due to space constraints, it's tiny compared to my DT; 5gal versus 120gal.

However, I get tons of macro algae growth in there under LED lighting, and it is swarming with pods. So it's clearly not hurting my system.

Matt

 

[lex_lutha111384]

Thanks guys. Im new to sump design, is the design up top a good one??? I figure it wont have to be too advanced because i will be running a dual reactor and i do weekly water changes as well. I just want to have a setup that will allow me to house any type of coral i want. I have some sps now but i have always held off from really going nuts do to the fact that my tanks life support system is a canister filter and HOB skimmer.

 

[Turbosnail]

I have a 90g fuge and it makes a huge dif with nitrates and phosphates. Plus pods thrive in it. Smaller fuges are good for pods but most likely wont have much of an effect on nitrates and phosphates.

 

[higorc]

I have always had a refugium. Can't really say it does a lot for my Nitrates. All I can say is I can't imagine having a set up with out one.

For me a Refugium is like a;

"Haven for Pods and Phyto"; Where any Nuisance algae grows instead of my DT; A Temporary holding tank for corals and fish; A place to grow some Chaeto; And where my Microbubbles dissipate.

There u go. That's my 2 cents!

Higor

 

[pesto]

My sump is very similar to your design. I have a separate 20 gallon fuge with deep sand bed and cheato. Works well for me ...

 

[lex_lutha111384]

thank for the input guys. So now my next step is to list up everything I have in the tank and post some pics cuz its time to sell it!!!! I cant believe im saying that!!

[/IMG]

 

[pesto]

We are neighbors ...PM me if you want to come by and see the fuge/sump design.

 

[higorc]

thank for the input guys. So now my next step is to list up everything I have in the tank and post some pics cuz its time to sell it!!!! I cant believe im saying that!!

[/IMG]

I don't get it. Why do you have to sell everything? Ur tank looks nice...

Higor

 

[jamesdong009]

I wouldn't say it useless. My display uses just rubble rock in the sump while I have separate refugium attahced to my frag tank. I do feed corals in the frag tank and the refugium has helped with the excess nutrients.

 

[inverted]

Randy HF posted some data here and in the referenced article. You need a heck of a lot of macro algae growth to export nutrients (although can help certainly). http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2168137

I wouldn't say "useless" but not really "necessary". I don't think there is much question that other forms of filtration are often much more efficient. As others have said though, great place for pods and on a reverse light cycle can really help balance pH and add O2 to the tank. Actually, if you look in the Reefkeeping magazine archives, Eric Borneman did some experiments, I think the articles were called something like "need to breath", and out of methods such as protein skimming,surface agitation via powerhead, air stone etc... Photosynthesis had the largest effect on oxygen levels.

 

[lex_lutha111384]

Im selling cuz I am going to set up a new system when I move. I could move everything but I want to do something different with the new setup. So I figured I would start fresh so there is no pressure or time constraints.

 

[higorc]

Ok. I get it. Well, it's always nice to start from scratch as well...

Good luck with everything
Higor

 

[P-Nut]

Refugiums are not useless if they are done the right way. Having a small 3"x5" rectangle with chaeto in a 100 gallon tank is almost useless. having a 40 breeder where one half is full of chaeto and live rock, and the other half has a skimmer, and heaters is not useless.

I personaly dont put any divisions in my sumps because I think (personal opinion) that they just waste space. My Skimmers outtake is right above my return pump and i never had a micro bubble issue in any of my tanks. So, what i do is throw 2-3 big live rocks, and trap the chaeto in between. I like to form a U shape and trap it in a corner. The chaeto stays together and I have a pwoerhead that creates flow in the refugium/sump (on top of the flow created from the overflow and skimmer). The result is a refugium/sump that has no dirt or rotten food in corners, because it has plenty of unrestricted flow.

That is the way I do it, and I am not saying it is the best way, or that my way is the only right way. But it does 100% solve the issue of accumulated crap and 'how do I clean my sump?" issues.

 

[SteveDola]

If I had the room I would set up a dedicated refuge. I used to love the stability the 20g fuge offered on my 75g. Just 1 more line of defense against the unknown. Helps with oxygen, PH, decreases nutrients, increases biodiversity...etc. They are good.

The tiny ones that people build into their sumps may not afford much in the listed benefits but every little bit helps if you have the space. Fuges dont require much maintenance either once set up...an occasional pruning thats all.

 

[Matt L.]

I don't like the in sump ones because they trap detritus and make the sump difficult to clean out. That's why I pump to my refugium and have the return back to the tank or sump.

Matt

 

[bill120mph]

I have a 180 gallon dedicated refugium , along with a 40 gallon sump on my 180 display, I know its over the top but i never have nitrate or phosphate issues and i only change water once a month.