Refugium water flow question

[CCarlson8]

I have a AquaFuge HOT refugium on my 55g tank. I know it is not optimal but, it is what I have to work with. Anyways I was wondering about waterflow in the fuge. Right now the flow is very slow and allows stuff to settle on the substrate (Live sand and live rock rubble, chaeto algae ball). Would it be beneficial if I added a small output powerhead in the fuge to increase the flow?

Also, just wondering if anyone thinks I would be ok with running a 50/50 actinic 18W bulb (like the standard aquarium hood bulb). I know they sell a light that goes above the fuge that puts out 36W, but that i like 75 bucks.... Is it worth it???

Thanks

 

[supertech3]

My light on mine is a 12" light from Lowe's and just put a daylight bulb 6500k and my pump is amini-jet 606 79-153gph my fuge is also a small one 16" x 4" x 12"

 

[CCarlson8]

also would i benefit from upgrading the powerhead that feeds the water over the tank and into the refugium?

 

[supertech3]

Which pump are you using? Did it come with the fuge? What is the flow rate?

 

[CCarlson8]

I am using the powerhead that came with it... It is a Via Aqua VA-480 which is rated at 95 gal/hr i think. Should I upgrade this powerhead? And/Or should I put a powerhead in the HOT fuge to increase flow?

I guess what I am trying to ask is.... What should waterflow be like inside a refugium??? Should it be slow moving or moving rapidly?

 

[Avi]

There's a theory that it should be fairly slow to allow the macro-algae time to consume the phosphates and nitrates available in the water. Seems that so long as either or both are there, even if the water's moving a little faster, it will continue to be available and the macro-algae will consume it. However, just because the water is moving faster doesn't mean that the macro-algae would photosynthesize any faster so the faster water wouldn't result in increased nutrient transport. So, it is not likely that increasing the water flow any will benefit your reef. Increased light, on the other hand, would, as long as the other elements necessary for photosynthesis are available and in all likelihood they would be. Increasing the light intensity would, to one extent or another, make the refugium more effective. Try to increase the light's intensity and do it with a bulb as close to 5,500K as you can find.

 

[Tobman]

Avi,

Where does the 5,500K come from? I have also heard 6,700K (LFS).

 

[Avi]

oops...I must be getting dyslexic...I meant to use the round number of 6,500K as a round number to look for. THe 6,700K in my understanding, is indeed the number to shoot for to get good vegetative growth. Sorry about that.