Okay, I have read a lot of this thread...plus many others and I am still a big confused. Here is what I've got....
I currently have a 110 gallon saltwater tank with crushed coral substrate, approximately 140-150 pounds of live rock, a HOB protein skimmer, and canister filter (I have an inline UV light that I will be putting in place on the return side of my refugium that I am about to build). I am wanting to build a refugium in order to do away with the canister filter (if anyone thinks I can't use the refugium in place of the canister filer, please explain???). My cabinet doesn’t allow for much room below my tank and I can't locate the refugium anywhere else in the house (small house). The space I am working with is 36" wide, 14.5" deep, and 19" high. Would a 20 gallon refugium be big enough for my tank, or would I need at least a 30 gallon refugium? I was thinking about getting this 20 gallon tank from Petsmart... http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11164157&lmdn=Shape I have no plans to move my protein skimmer down inside the refugium. I was thinking I could simply get an old aquarium that will fit under the tank that would have 3 chambers. The first chamber would be where the water comes in from the overflow box, the second being the refugium, and the third would be my return going to the DT. Can anyone recommend an good/affordable overflow box and return pump that will work well together? Since it is only 13" high, what depeth of sand bed should I be aiming for? I was thinking if I made the refugium approximately 10" tall that I could have a sand bed in the 4-5" range. Is my logic flawed there? Should I try to make the refugium deeper or shallower? since I won't have my protein skimmer on the refugium, can I forgo putting in a bubble trap on my refugium? I don't see where I would be getting any bubbles in the system.
My single biggest question is what gph should I be looking for if I am putting in a 4-5" sand bed, a little liverock rubble, and I want to grow cheato??? I am thinking with about 12 gallons of the total 20 being the actual refugium, would I need about 175 gph? Would I need to subtract out the 4-5" that will be the sand bed and only count the water capacity???
I currently have a 110 gallon saltwater tank with crushed coral substrate, approximately 140-150 pounds of live rock, a HOB protein skimmer, and canister filter (I have an inline UV light that I will be putting in place on the return side of my refugium that I am about to build). I am wanting to build a refugium in order to do away with the canister filter (if anyone thinks I can't use the refugium in place of the canister filer, please explain???). My cabinet doesn’t allow for much room below my tank and I can't locate the refugium anywhere else in the house (small house). The space I am working with is 36" wide, 14.5" deep, and 19" high. Would a 20 gallon refugium be big enough for my tank, or would I need at least a 30 gallon refugium? I was thinking about getting this 20 gallon tank from Petsmart... http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11164157&lmdn=Shape I have no plans to move my protein skimmer down inside the refugium. I was thinking I could simply get an old aquarium that will fit under the tank that would have 3 chambers. The first chamber would be where the water comes in from the overflow box, the second being the refugium, and the third would be my return going to the DT. Can anyone recommend an good/affordable overflow box and return pump that will work well together? Since it is only 13" high, what depeth of sand bed should I be aiming for? I was thinking if I made the refugium approximately 10" tall that I could have a sand bed in the 4-5" range. Is my logic flawed there? Should I try to make the refugium deeper or shallower? since I won't have my protein skimmer on the refugium, can I forgo putting in a bubble trap on my refugium? I don't see where I would be getting any bubbles in the system.
My single biggest question is what gph should I be looking for if I am putting in a 4-5" sand bed, a little liverock rubble, and I want to grow cheato??? I am thinking with about 12 gallons of the total 20 being the actual refugium, would I need about 175 gph? Would I need to subtract out the 4-5" that will be the sand bed and only count the water capacity???
