Refugium Help

[Irishman360]

So I did a noobie mistake, when I set up my DT to get it cycled I didn't set up my refugium at the same time. I have a protein skimmer in front and return in the back. So since I didn't do that and would like to set up one soon what would be the best option to start this, the size is 12Wx12Hx8D?

I know I need to have cycled rock, but how much?

How much sand or how deep does it have to be?

Would the best way to add this stuff is drain the water from the sump, put it in the compartment then put the water back in?

 

[ericarenee]

What are you setting up the refugium to do?

 

[Irishman360]

What are you setting up the refugium to do?

To use as a biological filter for the time being. I would like to get a mandarian goby in due time so grow pods in as well and maybe mysis shirmp as well.

 

[ericarenee]

That size would be ok to use for a place for pods to grow and reproduce.. To export nutrients NO..... You cant grow enough int here to make a difference..

I would put a inch or two of sand some rock rubble few piles in corners and some chato algae with a small light..... This will give them a nice environment to live and grow...

For a fuge to really help export Nutrients it needs to be HUGE... at least half the size of your display to really make a dent.. People who have the tiny fuge and say its helping .. In MY OPINION. By how my Large fuge has been maturing. They are only fooling themselves thinking its doing much.....

I am sure others will tell me i am wrong. But I have only seen a few people with large fuges and NO Mechanical filtration no gfo or other nutrient export .... and have LOW Nutrient levels ..

Hope this helps....

 

[Irishman360]

That size would be ok to use for a place for pods to grow and reproduce.. To export nutrients NO..... You cant grow enough int here to make a difference..

I would put a inch or two of sand some rock rubble few piles in corners and some chato algae with a small light..... This will give them a nice environment to live and grow...

For a fuge to really help export Nutrients it needs to be HUGE... at least half the size of your display to really make a dent.. People who have the tiny fuge and say its helping .. In MY OPINION. By how my Large fuge has been maturing. They are only fooling themselves thinking its doing much.....

I am sure others will tell me i am wrong. But I have only seen a few people with large fuges and NO Mechanical filtration no gfo or other nutrient export .... and have LOW Nutrient levels ..

Hope this helps....

It does help me out. Thanks for the info and your expertise on it. How do you recommend me putting the fuge together though?

 

[ericarenee]

Is this a separate tank or in your existing sump area?

 

[Irishman360]

Is this a separate tank or in your existing sump area?

it is a section in my existing sump.

 

[jml1149]

That size would be ok to use for a place for pods to grow and reproduce.. To export nutrients NO..... You cant grow enough int here to make a difference..

I would put a inch or two of sand some rock rubble few piles in corners and some chato algae with a small light..... This will give them a nice environment to live and grow...

For a fuge to really help export Nutrients it needs to be HUGE... at least half the size of your display to really make a dent.. People who have the tiny fuge and say its helping .. In MY OPINION. By how my Large fuge has been maturing. They are only fooling themselves thinking its doing much.....

I am sure others will tell me i am wrong. But I have only seen a few people with large fuges and NO Mechanical filtration no gfo or other nutrient export .... and have LOW Nutrient levels ..

Hope this helps....

Hah, I disagree. Are you going to run ULNS using just that size and a wad of chaeto? No. Are you absolutely going to export nutrients? Yes. Don't get a small light, get a 100W 6000K Home Depot LED exterior PAR38 bulb, stick it in a cheap 9 dollar reflector hung above the fuge and watch the fun begin.

In my 10g fuge, my nitrates dropped from 20-30ppm to 7-10ppm after running the fuge for a while. I pull roughly a basketball sized chunk out every two weeks and leave a softball behind. All that organic material is coming from somewhere.

For my LPS dominated tank, 7-10ppm nitrate is fine.

If you want to run ULNS SPS tank, may not work for you.

 

[ericarenee]

Hah, I disagree. Are you going to run ULNS using just that size and a wad of chaeto? No. Are you absolutely going to export nutrients? Yes. Don't get a small light, get a 100W 6000K Home Depot LED exterior PAR38 bulb, stick it in a cheap 9 dollar reflector hung above the fuge and watch the fun begin.

In my 10g fuge, my nitrates dropped from 20-30ppm to 7-10ppm after running the fuge for a while. I pull roughly a basketball sized chunk out every two weeks and leave a softball behind. All that organic material is coming from somewhere.

For my LPS dominated tank, 7-10ppm nitrate is fine.

If you want to run ULNS SPS tank, may not work for you.

You have a 10 gallon fuge on a 30 gallon tank.that is 1/3rd your display size so yes it will help your nutrient export. Do you also have a skimmer Do water changes and Prob run GFO or other nutrient exports...

I have a 350 gallon plus System.. Run a average skimmer.. NO GFO NO Bio pellets no chemicals of any kind.I do dose Kalk.. Do Super small water changes once a Month.. I have many different types of Macros in the Fuge as well as 3 inches of sand.. Its lite with 4-10w led flood lights. The more the fuge grows out The less my skimmer works.. I Also have a ATS that now does not grow out at all.. Its going to come down soon. The tank is well stocked and we feed heavy.

So the Fuge is the most important factor.. I think in a few more months or so . i will be able to pull my skimmer down..... This will be after my newly in progress 76x24 inch fuge Starts to mature and grow out..

 

[ericarenee]

it is a section in my existing sump.

For that small i would add some rubble rock on the bottom . No Sand.. and some Chato macro algae a 6000k Spectrum light as said above. But i would search Ebay for 10w cool white flood light...... one of these is all you need for that size .. they do not get to hot inside your stand and lots of light for that 12x12 space......

Then get some pods.. liveaquaria is a good place . but i am sure there are others equal as well...

 

[jml1149]

Note the LED I use is 100W equivalent, I think the actual power consumption is 15w or so. So for this guys 60g tank, a 20g sump isn't unreasonable. I don't run GFO, carbon yes, in a bag, in the sump. No reactors. 4.5g weekly water changes. I have a ball valve off my sump return to do the water change with, takes less than 5 minutes total. I have stopped vacuuming the sand. Feed 1/2 cube daily for 3 fish plus some pellets.