Refugium neccesary?

[brandonb12477]

Is a 3 stage sump including refugium with macro algae and UV lighting absolutely neccesary? And if so how long after I get set up to think about it, the guy at my LFS said I don't even have to worry about it but seems like that's what everyone does!? Thanks!![emoji12]

 

[Xxero]

None of the above is necessary as long as you have alternate, proper mechanical/biological filtration. And you can add all of the above later down the road, if you like, but it's usually easier plumbing wise to set-up your sump system from the beginning.

I personally believe a refugium has many benefits (no matter the size), and it's another area of my total system that I enjoy looking at.

Just my 2 cents. :bigeyes:

 

[Deftones2015]

It's not absolutely necessary and there are plenty of people who don't use a refugium. I personally run one just for help with nutrient export (have to take some of the algae out from time to time that is nutrient export). Lots of people use gfo or other means to help with filtration, some use a refugium and gfo, all depends on what you want to do.

 

[theMatrix]

I use a sump. In sump i have a poly filter pad i change out every3days for solids? I gets yellow n dark. Then i have a spare area for what will be red macro growth. Followed by the bottom that collets settlement/detrious. Then a chamber for the skimmer pump, its an hob skimmer that does well at keeping the poop away. The skimmer drains the tank water back into a diff chamber so its in cleaner water. In that chamber i have chaeto growing with pods i shake the chaeto once a week or when im in the sump moving stuff n it gets knocked around the pods make it to the Dt and the glass gets filled with them. Remember the chamber where the skimmer pump is? Where the 1st overflow is should be the dirtiest part of the sump. I also have a pump that goes to my phosban reactor n the return hose from the reactor goes to the return pump chamber to the Dt

As the post reads it sounds like a mess right?
But it seemed the most benefitial to not rob the chaeto so the gfo pump is where the skimmer pump is aswell. I was trying to keep the detrious in one chamber and the cleaner water going into the last chamber.

I also run a turf scrubber. From a second pvc overflow from the Dt.

Do i NEED all this? I can say no. I jus wanted it
But everything is benefitial for a healthy system.

I also keep a spare sponge filter in there for when a QT is needed.

 

[SPS911]

Definitely not necessary. I've always liked keeping it simple with a quality skimmer and live rock to support the bio load

 

[cloak]

Definitely not necessary. I've always liked keeping it simple with a quality skimmer and live rock to support the bio load

+1

and a little elbow grease...

 

[davocean]

Depends on the animals you intend on keeping.

 

[Spar]

and how much you care to deal with PO4 and NO3 by other mechanical means. on my 450g, my PO4 and NO3 are really low solely because of my refugium. i am in process of switching to an algae turf scrubber on my rebuild though... same concept.

i personally think some form of natural scrubber, be it a refugium or turf scrubber, are major headache reducers on a tank.