sump without refuge? a good or bad idea?

Ehaze · 01/01/2009, 12:29 AM

I was wondering if I should get rid of my refuge? How bad would it be? I have 2" of sand in the display, over 100lbs or LR.

in my sump I have 6" of sand, and cheato.

what I am asking is, how much will it effect my system, /w out a refuge in my sump.

fishyfriend4u · 01/01/2009, 05:10 AM

Refuge basically grows algae and crap in you don't want in your display. The reason for it is to keep a safe pod population and maintain all the crap u don't want in your display out.

crvz · 01/01/2009, 01:35 PM

how often are you harvesting chaeto? It may not have much of an affect if you remove it, but what is your rationale for doing so?

Ehaze · 01/01/2009, 11:22 PM

I still want a sump, but was wondering if I really need a refuge, I was talking to allot of people, and pretty much made me wonder why so many people think they NEED pods, pretty pointless.
pods are nothing big.

will the chaeto/6" dsb make any diff without it?

JohnnyBassMan · 01/01/2009, 11:26 PM

In nature, many marine fish depend on copepods as their initial first food. Three major groups of free-living copepods have been identified: the Calanoida, primarily free swimming planktonic animals, The Cyclopoida, which may be planktonic or demersal, and the Harpacticoida, which are entirely benthic.

THolleyH46 · 01/01/2009, 11:33 PM

Pods are nice, but the real reason to house a fuge is to reduce nitrates. If you can keep nitrates at zero without it, I'd say you don't need it then.

TitusvileSurfer · 01/01/2009, 11:34 PM

Pods are one of the ocean's staple diets. Without them the food chain would dissolve and change life as we know it drastically. If nothing in your tank eats pods, perhaps you should nickname it the abyssal plain.

JohnnyBassMan · 01/01/2009, 11:40 PM

I aggree.

BuddhaKiss · 01/02/2009, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ehaze
I still want a sump, but was wondering if I really need a refuge, I was talking to allot of people, and pretty much made me wonder why so many people think they NEED pods, pretty pointless.
pods are nothing big.

will the chaeto/6" dsb make any diff without it?

Depends on who you talk to and your livestock. Pod propagation is very important in my display. They feed my mandarin

Ehaze · 01/02/2009, 12:55 AM

hell, I will add a small reruge. thanks guys.

FranktheTankTx · 01/02/2009, 10:37 AM

I thought he already had one...

BigJay · 01/02/2009, 11:06 AM

You could always build/setup a separate larger refugium that drains into your sump. Check out Captain Hylinur's setup.

ReefBuilderNJ · 01/02/2009, 11:14 AM

i would recomend keeping the fuge!

eyesinthedrk · 01/02/2009, 11:27 AM

i have been having the feeling that refugiums are one of those things that may have their place, but in the next decade or so will not be used like they are righ now, i think most fuges are far under sized to do the nitrate reduction job thy are claimed to do, as for pod production live rock rubble under lights would be a much better habitar than a ball of cheato,

i know with my macro growing like mad i was still showing nitrates i reciently harvested half ot the total algae and didnt register a a change, ive noticed pods crawlind through the intake vents on my return pump not being sucked through to the display tank, im sure a small portion make it but of that small portion how many survive the impeller?

i am seriously considdering adding a few tight piles of LR rubble into the display tank for pod production and maybe turning my macro fuge into a rdsb or something else

Frick-n-Frags · 01/02/2009, 11:34 AM

Maybe think from the perspective of

"What is this fuge doing for me now?" and possibly "Why did I get it in the first place?" and finally "Is it broke? And if not, should I still fix it?"

You do risk the chance of unwanted algae starting up elsewhere IF harvesting the chaeto was actually keeping it in check.

In theory, a fuge isn't necessary, especially with no picky pod eaters or filter feeders. But whatever it's doing, it is integrated into your system.

The other argument is "That sand will foul anyway, so pull it all now or pull it all later, your call"

me, i would pull it because of the sand, plus starve the tank for a week once the chaeto is pulled just to chill all nutrient import, ESPECIALLY if you have ever had hair algae in your tank, because that means you still do. hair algae = chuck norris. it doesn't sleep. it waits...

01/01/2009, 12:29 AM	#1
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	sump without refuge? a good or bad idea? I was wondering if I should get rid of my refuge? How bad would it be? I have 2" of sand in the display, over 100lbs or LR. in my sump I have 6" of sand, and cheato. what I am asking is, how much will it effect my system, /w out a refuge in my sump.

01/01/2009, 05:10 AM	#2
fishyfriend4u Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: chambersburg Posts: 61	Refuge basically grows algae and crap in you don't want in your display. The reason for it is to keep a safe pod population and maintain all the crap u don't want in your display out. __________________ ~ Pop goes the weasel~

01/01/2009, 01:35 PM	#3
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	how often are you harvesting chaeto? It may not have much of an affect if you remove it, but what is your rationale for doing so? __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

01/01/2009, 11:22 PM	#4
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	I still want a sump, but was wondering if I really need a refuge, I was talking to allot of people, and pretty much made me wonder why so many people think they NEED pods, pretty pointless. pods are nothing big. will the chaeto/6" dsb make any diff without it? __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

01/01/2009, 11:33 PM	#6
THolleyH46 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: El Paso, TX Posts: 210	Pods are nice, but the real reason to house a fuge is to reduce nitrates. If you can keep nitrates at zero without it, I'd say you don't need it then. __________________ TOM "No, I didn't spill any water on the floor near any electrical cords!" Current Tank Info: 120 Tall reef tank

01/01/2009, 11:26 PM	#5
JohnnyBassMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 244	In nature, many marine fish depend on copepods as their initial first food. Three major groups of free-living copepods have been identified: the Calanoida, primarily free swimming planktonic animals, The Cyclopoida, which may be planktonic or demersal, and the Harpacticoida, which are entirely benthic.

01/01/2009, 11:34 PM	#7
TitusvileSurfer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Titusville, FL Posts: 3,227	Pods are one of the ocean's staple diets. Without them the food chain would dissolve and change life as we know it drastically. If nothing in your tank eats pods, perhaps you should nickname it the abyssal plain. __________________ The ocean is the pinnacle of reef tanks. Someone up there is keeping up with his PH and Phosphates to.

01/01/2009, 11:40 PM	#8
JohnnyBassMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 244	I aggree.

01/02/2009, 12:55 AM	#10
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	hell, I will add a small reruge. thanks guys. __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

01/02/2009, 10:37 AM	#11
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	I thought he already had one... __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

01/02/2009, 11:06 AM	#12
BigJay Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southlake, Texas Posts: 1,872	You could always build/setup a separate larger refugium that drains into your sump. Check out Captain Hylinur's setup. __________________ PBITAWA

01/02/2009, 11:14 AM	#13
ReefBuilderNJ Moved On Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: BRICK,NJ Posts: 100	i would recomend keeping the fuge!

01/02/2009, 11:27 AM	#14
eyesinthedrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 675	i have been having the feeling that refugiums are one of those things that may have their place, but in the next decade or so will not be used like they are righ now, i think most fuges are far under sized to do the nitrate reduction job thy are claimed to do, as for pod production live rock rubble under lights would be a much better habitar than a ball of cheato, i know with my macro growing like mad i was still showing nitrates i reciently harvested half ot the total algae and didnt register a a change, ive noticed pods crawlind through the intake vents on my return pump not being sucked through to the display tank, im sure a small portion make it but of that small portion how many survive the impeller? i am seriously considdering adding a few tight piles of LR rubble into the display tank for pod production and maybe turning my macro fuge into a rdsb or something else __________________ Everybody knows you never go full retard. Current Tank Info: SPS dominated, 125 gallon dt with 3 Apollo reef LED pendants, Apex Controler. 100 gal basement sump, 100 gallon basement fuge, euro reef skimmer, reef octopu s cr140 calcium reactor. Phos an reactor.

01/02/2009, 11:34 AM	#15
Frick-n-Frags Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: north central OH Posts: 10,740	Maybe think from the perspective of "What is this fuge doing for me now?" and possibly "Why did I get it in the first place?" and finally "Is it broke? And if not, should I still fix it?" You do risk the chance of unwanted algae starting up elsewhere IF harvesting the chaeto was actually keeping it in check. In theory, a fuge isn't necessary, especially with no picky pod eaters or filter feeders. But whatever it's doing, it is integrated into your system. The other argument is "That sand will foul anyway, so pull it all now or pull it all later, your call" me, i would pull it because of the sand, plus starve the tank for a week once the chaeto is pulled just to chill all nutrient import, ESPECIALLY if you have ever had hair algae in your tank, because that means you still do. hair algae = chuck norris. it doesn't sleep. it waits... __________________ Only Dead fish swim with the current. Current Tank Info: 2 50 gal tanks, sump, still BB