Expensive Sushi
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Thanks GatorGirl, I'm one to research everything at length, my wife finds it rather annoying.javascript:smilie('
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- Thread starter Expensive Sushi
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Sailor_jon
New member
Curious as to reasons for the filter bag and skimmer in front of the refugium, as opposed to trhe refugium first...then filter..then skimmer?? Whats the general concensus?
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Thanks mflamb I forgot about the pods in the refugium. I read everything about different setups and looked that the acrylic professional built ones. I then just put it together at a fraction of the cost.
The first stage is my mechanical filters (Takes out larger debris)
The water goes through the filter bag and my protein skimmer pump pulls the water in and strips most of the dissolved organic nutrients.
protein skimmer has a flexible arm that I put over to the other container with it's small filter.
This is my refugium area and I have live rock and sand for filtering and also plants. I haven't put any livestock down there yet but it would be a nice place to put a crab or something I don't want in my tank.
From the refugium it flows through a drainage grill (I added it to keep all the plants and livestock in the refugium) into my return area.
The return area has nothing but my pump - I might add a egg crate grill to protect my pump so nothing can slip by.
The thing I would change at this time is the first connectors between the intake and refugium is not needed (I ended up putting the skimmer arm into the refugium area).
Like I said Sailor_Jon, I checked out this web site and just read where others had posted questions about their DIY refugium and I built it and changed things a little to fit my needs. I did try using acrylic between the different areas but still use the main large plastic container - complete disaster! Lesson learned, not a lot of adhesives that are "aquarium safe" that will adhere plastic to acrylic. I'm sure there's something out there but this was very easy.
The first stage is my mechanical filters (Takes out larger debris)
The water goes through the filter bag and my protein skimmer pump pulls the water in and strips most of the dissolved organic nutrients.
protein skimmer has a flexible arm that I put over to the other container with it's small filter.
This is my refugium area and I have live rock and sand for filtering and also plants. I haven't put any livestock down there yet but it would be a nice place to put a crab or something I don't want in my tank.
From the refugium it flows through a drainage grill (I added it to keep all the plants and livestock in the refugium) into my return area.
The return area has nothing but my pump - I might add a egg crate grill to protect my pump so nothing can slip by.
The thing I would change at this time is the first connectors between the intake and refugium is not needed (I ended up putting the skimmer arm into the refugium area).
Like I said Sailor_Jon, I checked out this web site and just read where others had posted questions about their DIY refugium and I built it and changed things a little to fit my needs. I did try using acrylic between the different areas but still use the main large plastic container - complete disaster! Lesson learned, not a lot of adhesives that are "aquarium safe" that will adhere plastic to acrylic. I'm sure there's something out there but this was very easy.
TAMike97
New member
Nice ReefArtist. I went with the www.tufftubs.com oval 110 sump. It even has a pre made bulkhead fitting on it that is plummed to my main pump. I have the overflows going to filterpad/bioballs. Once I get my custom fuge from John it will be Overflow --> Filter sock --> ER 8-2 --> Fuge and then back to the tank. When I get it all setup Ill take some pictures.
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
TAMike97, that is a cool link and everything is recycled! They really look heavy duty. I'd really like to see it when your finished, so yes please take some pictures.
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
I see they also have a float valve. That's one thing I need to get on my system. With this weather I'm adding about 2 gallons a day - I'd like to go away one of these weekends but I'm afraid to have anyone touch my system :hmm2:. I saw a DIY one but it kind of scared me - electric with heat shrink is just to scary!
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Hey Expensive Sushi,
This was one of the reasons I went with the refugium - Mandarin's need live pods. I have on my wish list to get a Mandarin after about 6 months and heard that you can raise the pods in the refugium. That's what got me started in the refugium direction in the first place. Then the more I read about them I knew it was the way to go for more than just pod growing.
This was one of the reasons I went with the refugium - Mandarin's need live pods. I have on my wish list to get a Mandarin after about 6 months and heard that you can raise the pods in the refugium. That's what got me started in the refugium direction in the first place. Then the more I read about them I knew it was the way to go for more than just pod growing.
poknsnok
New member
mandarins are fickle. some eat and some wont. I got one for my year old reef that was absolutely teeming with pods/mysis and all kinds crawlies and yet she still starved. But on the other hand some will eat flake food from the minute you add them to your tank.. So when you shop for one see if its fat or thin and make sure its picking and forraging..
Expensive Sushi
New member
With the info I got from this thread I've decided against the Mandarin for now. But, while we are on the subject of refugiums and pods, I have a question. Earlier in this thread there was some discussion about having the refugium after the skimmer and just before the sump in order to have pods get to the tank. Pods are big, right? I have a sponge type filter on my pump. Do I need to take that off? And do pods actually make it through the pump? Is this configuation really benefical, because it will be alittle more work it setting up this way. But, if it IS good, I'm up for it. Was going to just have the refugium going to the sump with a skimmer in the sump.
Oh, one more question, in the diagram, what is the drain guard? And wouldn't that stop pods from getting to the sump and then to the tank?
Oh, one more question, in the diagram, what is the drain guard? And wouldn't that stop pods from getting to the sump and then to the tank?
Expensive Sushi, I applaud your research!!! If the fuge is after the skimmer, there will be much less waste for the fuge plants and animals to feed on. If the skimmer is after the fuge, then pods will be skimmed out of the system before they make it to the display. Ideally, you want to drain from the display into the fuge and the skimmer section and have both of them drain into the middle sump pump return section. The sponge filter will prevent pods from making it to the display, and yes they will survive the trip.
Mike
Mike
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Hi Sushi,
I took the filters off my pump because nothing should get to my return pump of any size (leaves, snails,etc). The pods I feed my gobies right now make it right through my pump - no problem at all. I'm not sure if I should be doing this but I have some Arcti-Pods and I just put them into my return area. The pods shot out into the tank and everyone goes wild.
I could have used the same type of filtration as my freshwater but after reading and researching I knew it was not the way to go. Yes setting up a saltwater tank is a lot more effort and please don't think it will easy up. It is time consuming and costly, but if you truly love saltwater creatures it is well with the effort. Once you get everything figured out - then it's time up upgrade
I took the filters off my pump because nothing should get to my return pump of any size (leaves, snails,etc). The pods I feed my gobies right now make it right through my pump - no problem at all. I'm not sure if I should be doing this but I have some Arcti-Pods and I just put them into my return area. The pods shot out into the tank and everyone goes wild.
I could have used the same type of filtration as my freshwater but after reading and researching I knew it was not the way to go. Yes setting up a saltwater tank is a lot more effort and please don't think it will easy up. It is time consuming and costly, but if you truly love saltwater creatures it is well with the effort. Once you get everything figured out - then it's time up upgrade
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Oh and the drain guard is just a regular drainage guard from Home Depot. It only blocks the larger items from getting into the return area, all the little creatures can make it right though.
Expensive Sushi
New member
Okay, let me see if I got this. From the display I want a tee. One goes to a skimmer container the other goes to the refugium. Then both the Refugium and skimmer container drain to the sump. Thereby only half of the water actually gets to the skimmer. Do I have that right?
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Well I think Mike is doing something different than my setup. I have the water from the tank going into my skimmer area directly. I then have the arm of the skimmer going into the refugium and from the refugium the water goes through the drainage grill to the return pump area. Mike feels that the creatures will not get the nutrients because all the water would be skimmed first. I just add a little food in the refugium when I feed my main tank. I wanted all my water to be skimmed so I chose this but there are a number of different ways of doing it. I at first didn't have my skimmer directly feeding into my refugium area, it was going though a connector and flowing into it. I thought about it and decided it would be better to make sure all the water was being skimmed, so I plugged that connect and just put the skimmers arm over into the refugium. I hope I'm not confusing you.
Expensive Sushi
New member
Got it. Makes sense. Either way should work as long as you feed the refugium. And this way, like you said, all the water gets skimmed.
One thing though about the skimmer arm - I wouldn't think you would get enough flow through the skimmer to feed the refrigium without have it just overflow though a hole. I have not bought a skimmer yet. You must have a large skimmer pump.
One thing though about the skimmer arm - I wouldn't think you would get enough flow through the skimmer to feed the refrigium without have it just overflow though a hole. I have not bought a skimmer yet. You must have a large skimmer pump.
The purpose of dividing the tank drain water is so that nutrient rich water can go to the fuge and the skimmer. The skimmer section should get about 2/3 of the water and the fuge about 1/3. If you skim the water before the fuge, you loose some of the benefit of the fuge, therefore not growing as many pods and not exporting as much nutrients out of the water. Check this out: http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html and sumps part I, II, and III at the bottom.
Mike
Mike
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
From what I understand, you want to over size your protein skimmer. Mine is rated for 125 gallons but my tank is 75, needless to say it has no problem with the volume. I purchased the Coralife Needle Wheel from Fosters and Smiths. I have 1-1/2 inch PVC which is about 600 gph and with the connectors and the mechanical filter it works out perfect as the skimmer is rated at 500 gph.
right now like I said I have a plug in my connector to block the water from going directly into my refugium. I don't have much living in there right now. Later I might see the need to unplug the connector and then part of the intake water will flow to the refugium directly and the rest will go through the protein skimmer. My tank is still maturing and I have every type of algae growing but it's all controlled at this point.
right now like I said I have a plug in my connector to block the water from going directly into my refugium. I don't have much living in there right now. Later I might see the need to unplug the connector and then part of the intake water will flow to the refugium directly and the rest will go through the protein skimmer. My tank is still maturing and I have every type of algae growing but it's all controlled at this point.
