Refugium... I Need Clarification.

[ZOKU]

I did a search but I continue just getting the "server overload" message. Is this because I am not a paying member of RC? The search function doesn't seem to work.

I just had some clarifying questions in regards to refugiums.

I used to have a 90-Gal. reef tank with a 20 gallon sump. It was fairly straight forward. The protein skimmer sat in the sump along with the pump used for the skimmer... as well as the return pump sending water back up to the main tank. Fairly self-explanatory. 'nuff said.

That was six years ago, however, and I'm really wanting to get back into this hobby... but obviously things have changed. I am unclear as to what the difference is between a refugium and a sump? Mechanically speaking, they're the same? Or am I way off base here?

It seems like quite a few photos I have viewed online here at RC and elsewhere have their sumps partitioned in 2-3 different ways. I am now noticing that people are placing live sand and usually live rock rubble in one area of their sump. Is this basically what a refugium is? Is the additional live sand and live rock in the sump just another means of added filtration? And what about the addition of macroalgae? I know I have read that it can be utilized as a food source for the main tank... but how does it not get processed through the protein skimmer? Isn't the same water source being used inside of the sump/refugium also being filtered through the skimmer? I think I am confused as to what exactly a refugium consists of...

My idea is to simply have the main display on a stand... with another AGA in the stand housing the majority of the equipment...?

Could anyone shed some light as to what the refugium concept is...?

 

[Blown 346]

A sump is used for your extra equipment like you stated, but a refugium in itself is a place for pods and macro algae. themacro algae will help in lowering nitrates and soaking up proteins. The pods are used to help feed certain fish, like Mandarin goby's, sand sifting stars, etc.

You can have a sump/refugium together, this is where you have a sump and fuge built into each other. The drain will come in the sump, the skimmer should be on this side, then the fuge would be in the middle seperated by a series of baffles to slow down the water. The last side would be your return pump side.

The skimmer should be placed before the fuge so you dont skim out the pods.

Here is a pic of my sump/refugium to give you an idea of how it works.
My drain and skimmer are on the right side, then the fuge, then the return pump.

 

[ZOKU]

I totally appreciate the quick reply... thanks.

What kind of lighting is essential for the refugium? And are there are 'pre-fabricated' sump/refugiums? I didn't see anything of that nature in the few links that I have... ?

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Zoku,

Usually a sump is planted with macro-algae and may have LR and a DSB. My own tendency is to have a sump real plain with just a skimmer and baffling. I also like to have low flow in a sump to keep from washing pods, etc out but some people these days really let flow rip through them.

Blown's definition is pretty good.

 

[Blown 346]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6960370#post6960370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ZOKU
I totally appreciate the quick reply... thanks.

What kind of lighting is essential for the refugium? And are there are 'pre-fabricated' sump/refugiums? I didn't see anything of that nature in the few links that I have... ?

I currently have 1 power compact bulb at 5100 kelvin ( color temperature. The bulb is 24 watts.

They are a few sump/fuges that I have seen but I myself dont like the layout. I bought a tank, and put baffles in it the way I wanted to. That is the cheapest way, otherwise you can spend hundreds of dollars for a decent one.

 

[slant77]

how high do you keep the water leval above your bafles

 

[slant77]

also what are you thoughts on having the return last or in the middle

 

[tehon3299]

Check out http://www.melevsreef.com/ Excellent site for sump and fuge information. I basically built my sump this weekend based on reading EVERYTHING on his site.

 

[ZOKU]

Thanks for the link and the information... I really appreciate it!!

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question - but how is the water getting in between the various partitions? If each partition is basically its own little compartment, per se... how is water flowing through the refugium/sump? I know the skimmer and its pump is in one compartment... refugium in another... return pump in the other... are there holes in these partitions to allow water to flow in between them... if that is the case, I'm not sure I entirely understand how the beneficial organisms are not being destroyed by the skimmer or its pump? If water is flowing between these compartments - wouldn't that mean that the beneficial bacteria are also flowing freely?

 

[doox00]

put the baffles like this

 

[steel3470]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6967043#post6967043 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ZOKU
Thanks for the link and the information... I really appreciate it!!

Hopefully this isn't a stupid question - but how is the water getting in between the various partitions? If each partition is basically its own little compartment, per se... how is water flowing through the refugium/sump? I know the skimmer and its pump is in one compartment... refugium in another... return pump in the other... are there holes in these partitions to allow water to flow in between them... if that is the case, I'm not sure I entirely understand how the beneficial organisms are not being destroyed by the skimmer or its pump? If water is flowing between these compartments - wouldn't that mean that the beneficial bacteria are also flowing freely?

if you look at the pic above and see how the water is higher on the far right then goes between the baffles to the refume then back to the far left and up to the tank. the water is moved by one being higher than the other....check out this site helps explain better http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

 

[tehon3299]

The water will flow from the intake side to the return side. The baffles do not prevent the water from flowing between them because it will flow over the first baffle, under the next, and over the next. The baffles are there to prevent bubbles going from one section to the next and being returned in the pump.