What should the water height be in a Regugium?

GunnerO · 03/20/2009, 11:04 PM

I've got a Mag2 sump (30'L x 10"W x 14"H at the lowest) converted to a refugiuim, I"ve got 2"of live sand, and a handful of coral pieces and live chaeto. I've got a 75W, 6500k lamp about 2" from the top of the fuge. Looks like the chaeto is dying, some of it is brown, the other green. I've been keeping the water height about 4-6" above the sand. Think it might be the heat from the lamp? I've got low nitrates and phosphates, use ro/di water. Should I have the water height, 2 or 3 inches from the top?

Will adding nutriet additives help the plant life? Thanks for your inputs.

CoRPS · 03/21/2009, 12:41 AM

You want your water level in the fuge to be as high as it can get while taking into consideration the amount of water that will flow into the fuge if the power shuts off.

So lets say you turn the power off and the water rises 2", just to be safe you should go like 2.5" to 3" lower than the top of the tank.

I may be wrong though, but that's how I've always thought it was.

Pulp Fishin · 03/21/2009, 04:31 AM

^^^
+1 I agree that 3" if min water below your sump hight.
It also depends on your sump though, if you have a large or long sump you may get away with going a little higher with refugium water level as long.

A good way to test it is after you put the sump in and start running water, kill the power to that part of thge house(or just the tank itself) and watch too see if your sump can hold the back-syphone. First time I test my sumps I make sure I'm there with bailing equipment & buckets in hand!

Better to test it while your on hand to fix anything then have the power go out while your away or at work and end up with a big mess to clean up.

mustang51js · 03/21/2009, 06:22 AM

it all depends on your setup, as long as it holds the water if there is a power outage then your ok, but the more water in the system the better.

JohnnyBassMan · 03/21/2009, 06:25 AM

I also agree on the set up, my water level is about 1â€ or so below the rim. I donâ€™t have any problems during power outage.

03/20/2009, 11:04 PM	#1
GunnerO Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: McAlester, OK Posts: 110	What should the water height be in a Regugium? I've got a Mag2 sump (30'L x 10"W x 14"H at the lowest) converted to a refugiuim, I"ve got 2"of live sand, and a handful of coral pieces and live chaeto. I've got a 75W, 6500k lamp about 2" from the top of the fuge. Looks like the chaeto is dying, some of it is brown, the other green. I've been keeping the water height about 4-6" above the sand. Think it might be the heat from the lamp? I've got low nitrates and phosphates, use ro/di water. Should I have the water height, 2 or 3 inches from the top? Will adding nutriet additives help the plant life? Thanks for your inputs.

03/21/2009, 04:31 AM	#3
Pulp Fishin Were all mad here. Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: London Ontario Canada Posts: 608	^^^ +1 I agree that 3" if min water below your sump hight. It also depends on your sump though, if you have a large or long sump you may get away with going a little higher with refugium water level as long. A good way to test it is after you put the sump in and start running water, kill the power to that part of thge house(or just the tank itself) and watch too see if your sump can hold the back-syphone. First time I test my sumps I make sure I'm there with bailing equipment & buckets in hand! Better to test it while your on hand to fix anything then have the power go out while your away or at work and end up with a big mess to clean up. __________________ Reef Central Corner Club Aquarium Dumpster Diver Extraordinaire Money talks, mine says "Good-Bye" Current Tank Info: RIP:60g Pentagon Reef 100lbs LR 20g Sump Deltec Mce 600 Mag 750 250W Metal Halide & 2x39W T5's Phosban ReactorX2 5gal refugium 36xTO RIP:135G FOWLER /Agressive

03/21/2009, 06:22 AM	#4
mustang51js Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: haskell, n.j. Posts: 593	it all depends on your setup, as long as it holds the water if there is a power outage then your ok, but the more water in the system the better. __________________ george 50g corner reef yellow tang Current Tank Info: temp 90g reef,2 4bulb t5 lights-

03/21/2009, 12:41 AM	#2
CoRPS Big Time Reefer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: P-RINE Posts: 2,887	You want your water level in the fuge to be as high as it can get while taking into consideration the amount of water that will flow into the fuge if the power shuts off. So lets say you turn the power off and the water rises 2", just to be safe you should go like 2.5" to 3" lower than the top of the tank. I may be wrong though, but that's how I've always thought it was.

03/21/2009, 06:25 AM	#5
JohnnyBassMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 244	I also agree on the set up, my water level is about 1â€ or so below the rim. I donâ€™t have any problems during power outage.