Refugium Design Question

[cdamiano]

I am looking into adding a refugium to my tank as a separate tank in addition to the sump that I already have setup. I was wondering if anyone knows if it makes sense to have the unskimmed water go into the refugium (directly from a tee off the drain line) or the skimmed water (I can do this from a tee off my return line from the sump pump).

 

[shyland83]

I personally have mine off the return line after the skimmer.

 

[cdamiano]

Does anyone else have a refugium setup? Additional comments on the design for this would be appreciated. Just not sure if the feed to the refugium should be before or after the skimmer. I have seen some people say it should be before.

 

[greggnyce]

I have my refugium after the skimmer. I would think that it would be best to have the pods and other microorganisms flow through the tank once before going into the skimmer, in order to feed corals and fish. I am not an expert so this is just my opinion.

 

[cdamiano]

That definitely makes sense to me also and I am planning on setting it up that way. I just wanted to check to see if anyone else knew of any reason not to do it that way. Thanks!!!

 

[mcmxc17]

The only draw back to that is that the good stuff from your refugium, micro-fauna, gets skimed out before it makes it to your main tank and the micro-fauna benefits your inverts.

 

[greggnyce]

If it is after the skimmer in wont get skimmed out until it passes through the tank once.

 

[Roger928]

Great reading here:

http://wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm