Refugium worth it?

[Ryan15236]

I am trying to get a good design for my 125 gallon reef tank in the works. I am using a 55 gallon tank as a sump right not. I have enough room for about a 20 gallon section to use as a refugium. This really doesn't seem worth it?? I want to tank to be a mixed reef and eventually get into SPS. Space under the stand really comes at a premium and I am not sure if this section for a refugium is worth it. Right now I have a Aquamaxx Ecomaxx 200 skimmer I plan to use but my upgrade if I don't use a refugium.

I feel the stand space might be better served for something else but maybe not. If a refugium truly would be beneficial can you guys please help me design it for a purpose so it is useful. I feel like so many refugiums I see are just a mash-up of a few different ideas and not truly designed for a purpose there essentially a useless eyesore.

 

[evan38109]

It depends.

There's a lot that goes into that decision, and personal choice is a big part of it.

My favorite reference is this debate between Julian Sprung and Jake Adams from MACNA 2014.

 

[Reefstarter2]

I like having a fuge because it gives me more options for nutrient control and I like watching pods in it

 

[Ryan15236]

As far as nutrient export goes I feel like it is kinda contradicting. I want to keep my tank water pristine and low nutrient so algae shouldn't be able to grow but I'm going to go algae in the refugium and shouldn't take that some nutrients so therefore if the algae grows then my water is not where it needs to be???

I feel like maybe that extra money could be better spent towards maybe a bigger skimmer, reactors, etc. I do see pod cultivation being possible but those guys aren't super important to me as I don't want a mandarin or any other major pod eaters

Could be useful to have that area for frags or a fish isolation area though

 

[Ryan15236]

And not to mestion keep my sump a lot cleaner and not covered in coralline. Maintenance would be easier too as my weekly or bi weekly routine could include sucking detritus out of the sump.

 

[aclinville]

Like everybody else says! depending on what you are using it for. If it's for nutrient control a 20 gallon section will not even be close to being big enough for a 125 gallon tank. That's like putting a 4 cyl. engine inside of a dump truck it might work but not very well.
Ideally your refugium should at least be 40% of your water volume for nutrient control.

 

[CHSUB]

i use a 10% fug, filled with macro and pods. po4 is very low (.009 +/-) without gfo and 23 fish. macro is harvested monthly and fug is cleaned well. i harvest a basketball size amount of macro algae and maintain an algae free dt with the help of tangs. i keep other areas of sump dark so algae only grows in fug. it is a huge help and i would not have a tank without one.

http://[URL=http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/CHSUB/media/image.jpg1_zpspjjvhosx.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[laga77]

A 10% sized fuge is all mine are on two tanks. Lighting on top and sides with a power head for increased flow. Each month I remove half of a bucket of cheato from the two tanks. I also run GFO and GAC. If you want a pristine looking tank, then make an area where the debris can collected be removed.

 

[kevin_e]

I'm sure it provides some benefit from a biological diversity stance, even if a tiny fuge doesn't do a great job at nutrient export.

 

[kevin_e]

As far as nutrient export goes I feel like it is kinda contradicting. I want to keep my tank water pristine and low nutrient so algae shouldn't be able to grow but I'm going to go algae in the refugium and shouldn't take that some nutrients so therefore if the algae grows then my water is not where it needs to be???

I feel like maybe that extra money could be better spent towards maybe a bigger skimmer, reactors, etc. I do see pod cultivation being possible but those guys aren't super important to me as I don't want a mandarin or any other major pod eaters

Could be useful to have that area for frags or a fish isolation area though

One thing to consider though is that algae likely takes in more than just nitrogen and phosphorous molecules; things your skimmer won't touch. Some heavy metals etc. are likely consumed as well, not to mention it increases the production of oxygen while removing carbon gas. Plus, reading the SPS boards, it seems that people are keeping their tanks to clean, leading to pale coloration from reduced "nutrients". I place this in quotations because I don't think anyone is quite clear on what nutrient that may be, but it's obviously associated in some way with reduced nitrates and phosphates, if not those two directly. My feeling is that it is simply dissolved organic compounds, much like those found during the degradation of ditrtius. Micro invertebrates also likely serve more of a purpose than just being a food source.

 

[Mock]

Simply put, yes.

 

[Ryan15236]

Ok so it looks like it is best to incorporate one in. So maybe you guys can help with the ideal set up. Like Sand or no sand, if sand how deep? Miracle mud? What macro? Maybe how much flow? Best lighting period? Reverse photo? Any CUC?

Also where should I place this section in the sump? The usual first compartment skimmer then second being the fuge then return or maybe return in the middle between skimmer compartment and fuge, with teeing off the drain with a ball or gate valve to control flow in the sump?

I am just trying to get the most out of the filtration under the stand. I really need to find a new place for the ATO container probably lol.

 

[Sk8r]

Middle section. I grow mysis shrimp in mine: treats for the fish above, kind of randomly delivered. They go through the pump right well. Fuges are kind of a 'go big if you possibly can' type affair. The bigger, the more varied the better. Mine is sand/rock/cheato. Sponges, mysis, amphipods, aiptasia, you name it...it's down there. Along with a stray firefish that's thus far evaded capture, but he's certainly not starving.

I have a Coralife skimmer that hangs on the outside of the sump and only has a hose and a pump inside, so that gives me a lot of room to play with.