Refugium confugium
- Thread starter MarkD40
- Start date
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
The egg-crate on the ends is only to keep macro-algae in place. I use the landscape cloth for sand beds, but have recently switched to shallow rubble rock & no cloth so detritus percolates down to the lower zone where it can be consumed.
I'll have a better idea of how well it works in a another year. By that time there will be a myriad of new experiments on the go.
I've found that nature is the best teacher. System deficiencies are quickly "repaired" by some kind of growth. Fine tune your system, so harmful bacteria, parasites, and nuisance algae are replaced by beneficial organisms. Provide zones with appropriate parameters so they can foster the development of these beneficial creatures.
I'll have a better idea of how well it works in a another year. By that time there will be a myriad of new experiments on the go.
I've found that nature is the best teacher. System deficiencies are quickly "repaired" by some kind of growth. Fine tune your system, so harmful bacteria, parasites, and nuisance algae are replaced by beneficial organisms. Provide zones with appropriate parameters so they can foster the development of these beneficial creatures.
MarkD40
New member
I like the idea of the benthic zone and I am going to incorporate it into my refugium. Thanks for the creative ideas you bring to the hobby. I am a consumate DIY'er and have several creations in my system that have worked out well. Always looking for ideas to make things easier and more efficient. Thanks for the reply! Mark
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
The benthic zone receives a marginal amount of greatly diffused light. Diffused illumination doesn't adversely effect beneficial benthic invertebrates, but it does create competition in the form of nuisance algae.
There is no need to completely block the light leaking from the upper refugium zone. The rubble or sand substrate in the refugium will block direct light, but their will be some light pollution reflecting off of the sides of the cabinet.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
If you have a high powered refugium light or a highly refective area the refugium is in, you can always put window tinting on the sides of the aquarium to help reduce that reflected light.
Forgive the double post but i wanted to get my qestion into this thread after i saw it. I am planning a 250 gallon SPS tank with two sided viewing. The ends of the tank will be hidden by the built in/cabinet and i am designing the system with flawless sightlines through the tank, ie no visable pumps, nozzles, ect.
To save space, maximize the water volume, and allow the use of an 8 way Ocean Motion, I am going to have two four inch wide sections at each end over the entire width of the tank (36 inches) for overflow, closed circulation system, and a REFUGIUM on each end. Dimensions of each refugium section is 26" x 4" x 24". Sectioned off from pump inputs. Outputs from the 8 way would be plumbed throug the refugium section
I have never done a refugium before so here is my question. My plan was to just cut some slots lower in the tank or install a screen into the acrylic separating the main tank and overflow/refugium area so the critters can enter into the main tank without going through a pump. A passive unplumbed system that will allow the maximum # of critters to enter into the main tank from each end.
Anyone doing anything like this? One problem is the reverse lighting I have read is necessary, which would lighting up a the main tank through the slots. So I am looking for another way, and i am sure I am missing some simple method. Thanks for the help
To save space, maximize the water volume, and allow the use of an 8 way Ocean Motion, I am going to have two four inch wide sections at each end over the entire width of the tank (36 inches) for overflow, closed circulation system, and a REFUGIUM on each end. Dimensions of each refugium section is 26" x 4" x 24". Sectioned off from pump inputs. Outputs from the 8 way would be plumbed throug the refugium section
I have never done a refugium before so here is my question. My plan was to just cut some slots lower in the tank or install a screen into the acrylic separating the main tank and overflow/refugium area so the critters can enter into the main tank without going through a pump. A passive unplumbed system that will allow the maximum # of critters to enter into the main tank from each end.
Anyone doing anything like this? One problem is the reverse lighting I have read is necessary, which would lighting up a the main tank through the slots. So I am looking for another way, and i am sure I am missing some simple method. Thanks for the help
I have a custom sump/refugium that was purchased about a year ago. As these things go we are upgrading our sump in preparation for a tank upgrade (I want the refugium to be ready to support the larger tank from the get go).
The custom design acutally implements the conecpts presented by Mr. Wilson, with some structural differences.
Our sump has the 3 sections/zones, skimmer/refugium/return. The "wall" that separates them sit approximately 3" off the bottom of the sump and stop about 8" from the top. In the refugium section there was placed a filter media of sorts, but it is very coarse, almost to the point of not being a filter. The media itself is a think plastic/pvc polymer of sorts. To better describe how sparse the "filter" is, you could lay it flat and drop a handful of change onto it and 90% of the coins would fall through to the floor. The layer consists of two pieces of this stacked such that it sits about 1" above the inside of the "walls" that define the refugium. On top of this we placed a thin filter floss sheet and filled in sand over top of it. Then some LR and macros, etc into the sand.
What I didn't realize was that the bottom of the refugium was perfect for what the video described (the tunicates, sponges, etc).
I was undecided on how to design the new sump, but after reading this thread and watching the video I am seriously considering going with the exact same design, just on a larger scale. I know I can get the large "filter" media from the LFS (or hunt online for where he got it from) and I am thinking of a DSB in the refugium as well now. I can try to take a picture of some spare pieces of the filter that I had left over, if anyone is interested. LMK
The custom design acutally implements the conecpts presented by Mr. Wilson, with some structural differences.
Our sump has the 3 sections/zones, skimmer/refugium/return. The "wall" that separates them sit approximately 3" off the bottom of the sump and stop about 8" from the top. In the refugium section there was placed a filter media of sorts, but it is very coarse, almost to the point of not being a filter. The media itself is a think plastic/pvc polymer of sorts. To better describe how sparse the "filter" is, you could lay it flat and drop a handful of change onto it and 90% of the coins would fall through to the floor. The layer consists of two pieces of this stacked such that it sits about 1" above the inside of the "walls" that define the refugium. On top of this we placed a thin filter floss sheet and filled in sand over top of it. Then some LR and macros, etc into the sand.
What I didn't realize was that the bottom of the refugium was perfect for what the video described (the tunicates, sponges, etc).
I was undecided on how to design the new sump, but after reading this thread and watching the video I am seriously considering going with the exact same design, just on a larger scale. I know I can get the large "filter" media from the LFS (or hunt online for where he got it from) and I am thinking of a DSB in the refugium as well now. I can try to take a picture of some spare pieces of the filter that I had left over, if anyone is interested. LMK
Youngsilver
C'est un touche-Ã -tout
Sorry for chiming in late, and a little underread on the post, but, I believe that they might be talking about the DTs phyto they sale?
Also, mark, is your avatar a bleached RBTA? If so I'd like to talk further with you about it.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
I don't want to talk you out of anything, but here are some obstacles that you will have with your "built-in" system.
1) Light pollution with a reverse photoperiod, as you mentioned.
2) Access and visibility (for maintenance) of the refugium, as it is tall and narrow.
3) Ability to illuminate a refugium of that depth from the top. You could light it from the end (vertically) if you have room. Remember, light will only penetrate a few inches of macro algae, leaving the lower "old growth" to degrade and return its' "catch" to the system.
4) Flow dynamic issues, as you are planning to have the refugium effluent lower down in the tank. Is the influent at the top or bottom? Where are the other closed loop (OM 8-way) lines going? Are they in the ends only? or is the tank drilled on the bottom.
5) Adaptation to new technology and methodology. A more conventional refugium allows for modular design for future changes and upgrades.
If you attach a drawing, myself and others can help you fine-tune the design.
I finished the new custom sump that I was building, incorporating many of the topics discussed here (alhtough I had been planning it long befoer this thread, but some of the replies here helped to solidify my previous design decisions )
The thread can be found here, if anyone is interested :
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=835341
)The thread can be found here, if anyone is interested :
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=835341
I always thought that the whole idea was for the DSB to foster bacteria that would convert nitrates to nitrogen, not convert anything else into nitrates....
But then again that was why I made our DSB easily "removeable", for maintenance and/or removal, if ever needed/decided
But then again that was why I made our DSB easily "removeable", for maintenance and/or removal, if ever needed/decided
glassbox-design
New member
Some good info here...one thing I would like to clarify...
an aglae scrubber is not just a refugium with macro growing it. An algae scrubber is a surge type algae filter. There are screens in the surge area that are seeded with turf algea. The algea is exposed to water and area which helps the specific type of turf algea grow...then comes the scrubbing. to remove the nutrient then these screens are actually scrubbed clean and placed back into the surge filter.
With that said macro still can do wonders for nutrient export
As for the DSB in the 20 gallon... i think it would be fine, but the water entering into the refugium/DSB should be filtered first. (maybe feed it with a canister filter?) This way detritus will be filtered out before entering the DSB and it will not act like a sponge soaking up waste... you also get the great denitrifying benefits of the DSB.
I would also suggest a very deep sandbed for this...as if it were a RDSB in 5 gallon bucket, with macro growing at the top....
HTH,
eric&flint
an aglae scrubber is not just a refugium with macro growing it. An algae scrubber is a surge type algae filter. There are screens in the surge area that are seeded with turf algea. The algea is exposed to water and area which helps the specific type of turf algea grow...then comes the scrubbing. to remove the nutrient then these screens are actually scrubbed clean and placed back into the surge filter.
With that said macro still can do wonders for nutrient export
As for the DSB in the 20 gallon... i think it would be fine, but the water entering into the refugium/DSB should be filtered first. (maybe feed it with a canister filter?) This way detritus will be filtered out before entering the DSB and it will not act like a sponge soaking up waste... you also get the great denitrifying benefits of the DSB.
I would also suggest a very deep sandbed for this...as if it were a RDSB in 5 gallon bucket, with macro growing at the top....
HTH,
eric&flint
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