Hamster ball refugium

[LCDRDATA]

I've been tossing this idea around for a bit and wanted to get some second opinions. There's not enough room in my sump to add a standard refugium (at least not that I can figure out), but as I was working with some of our other pets I came across this item:

It's a standard 7" diameter ball for small mammals to run around in. It seems to me that I could drill out one end, run some tubing (say, 1/4" - 1/2" for example) into the ball, fill it up about halfway with some kind of macroalgae, and just drop it in the sump. I'd hook a low-flow pump to the tubing to get flow in and the water could just flow back out the slits. The only problem I see is making sure the macroalgae is such that it won't flow out as well. I'm open to suggestions as to 1) whether this is something that might work, 2) what kind of macroalgae would be the best, and 3) any other helpful ideas, suggestions, criticisms, etc. These balls do come in other sizes, I'm just not sure a larger one would fit in my sump - although if the concept itself is sound, other folks with more room could certainly get a larger ball. Anyway, thanks for your thoughts!

 

[sw1tched]

the microalgae will require some sort of lighting... the blue ball would probably eat most of the lighting. just something to think about.
-Joe

 

[alphaferret]

chaeto would be a good choice-I bet they have clear balls too.

Ferret

 

[LCDRDATA]

We've got a couple of aquarium hood lights that should do the trick for lighting. How much difference does it make on offsetting the lighting cycle vice using the same cycle as the main tank lights? I think you may be right on the clear vs. colored ball; I'll have to see if we have a clear one. Any other thoughts on the general concept?

 

[das75]

A fuge area for chaeto doesn't need a lot of space. Before I got a dedicated fuge, just grew the macro in the space between the baffles.

 

[faulkincanyon]

i hate blue balls

 

[Marteau]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13304041#post13304041 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by faulkincanyon
i hate blue balls

lol if that was joke... it was funny! :rollface:

 

[coralfragger101]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13304007#post13304007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by das75
A fuge area for chaeto doesn't need a lot of space. Before I got a dedicated fuge, just grew the macro in the space between the baffles.

I agree with this.

IF you have space for the ball then you have space for the chaeto without the ball. You might just need to slip a piece of eggcrate in to keep the chaeto from going into a pump though. Light the sump up and just use whatever space you have available.

 

[Pulp Fishin]

I do agree that it would work in theory.
There may be cheeper and more basic ways to get across the same point, a DIY refugium in a small space.
If you have any clear plastic jars or the covers to blank DVD spindels(eg the ones when you buy 50-100 blank DVDs) you can drill holes in them for some flow and keep cheato or rock rubble in them with a snap-on-light and you got a extreamly cheep & effective refugium.

Cheers

 

[E30 E T A]

It would work. The clear balls, like said before.will work best.

 

[Jay180reef]

Thanks for the ideas with the chaeto...I've been pondering ideas of where to put it in my already cramped sump.

 

[ducklabdad]

I also agree

I also agree

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13305569#post13305569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralfragger101
I agree with this.

IF you have space for the ball then you have space for the chaeto without the ball. You might just need to slip a piece of eggcrate in to keep the chaeto from going into a pump though. Light the sump up and just use whatever space you have available.

If the ball will fit , just use a piece of eggcrate to block off one "small Section" and a clamp on light and screw in flourescent bulb from Home depot and you got it going with Chaeto. I keep a ball of Chaeto about the size of the Hamster ball im my fuge and I trim it in Half every two weeks. In fact if you need some chaeto??

 

[LCDRDATA]

I will need some chaeto once I get this set up. Thanks for the offer, but I think my LFS is probably a little closer than you are. Once I know for sure that it's running, I think I'll add one of those little bottles of copepods the LFS store has available.

BTW, What do you do with the chaeto you trim off?

And does anyone know the outlet diameter of a Rio 180 (venturi) pump? That's what I'm planning to use for the flow into the ball - it's already in the sump maintaining the vacuum on my overflow, so I figure I might as well use it. Thanks!

 

[jackiechandc]

That might actually work with a clear hamster ball.

 

[mitremark]

How much flow should be run through cheato, ie can you put it in the return area of the sump?

 

[aww_419]

nice, good idea might do something like that myself

 

[Ratkiller]

I don't want to bust your bubble, I'm all for trying new things, but it's going to be too much trouble then what it's worth.

Just through some cheato in that 7in space you have. Then just flip it every 2 weeks and trim as needed.

Another point: Copepods/ don't thrive in a moving ball of cheato verses one that is stagnet.