How Important Is It To Have A Refugium?

Fishel · 11/27/2006, 08:27 PM

I have a 240 Gallon Tank and will have a sump for my ASM G4+ Skimmer, Heaters, Etc. but I don't believe I have enough room for a refugium. I am limited on sump size as only a 48in long tank will fit through my stand doors. I could cut a hole in the side of the stand to fit a larger tank but right now I just want to get the tank wet and running. I may do this in the future.

I plan on keeping a FOWLR tank for awhile but will eventually go to full reef.

How many of you out there have full reef tanks without refugiums?

Do you wish you had one? Why?

badgerlaw · 11/27/2006, 08:29 PM

I think a refugium is a nice addition to a tank but is not necessary. As long as adequate protein skimming is utilized there will be no problem especially in a FOWLR.

I believe that they are beneficial for a reef system as they help keep up water conditons. THey are also good food sources for the fish and corals.
Just my 2 cents

Henry Bowman · 11/27/2006, 08:54 PM

If you seriously want a full blown reef, you'll eventually see the necessity in having a fuge. More particularly if you intend on keeping sps, having a fuge will definitely make things more stable. I view it as creating more of a complete ecosystem for my tank than an optional part .

green814 · 11/27/2006, 09:02 PM

Just a thought, but what about a 2nd tank ( maybe 15g tall or standard 20 ) for the fuge. Drill it near the top & set it up to drain into the sump tank. I am probably going to do this for a 75g I am working on setting up.
Chris

ridetheducati · 11/27/2006, 09:09 PM

A refugium is a good way to add volume. But I took my 55g refugium down because my skimmer was so efficient I could not keep the macro algae alive.

Fishel · 11/27/2006, 09:18 PM

ugh.. keep going back and forth... i guess it comes down to me not wanting to cut the side of the stand to get a bigger tank in there.....

i'll crunch the numbers with adding a 2nd tank as the return... so it'll go

skimmer -> refugium -> 2nd tank as return......

Fishel · 11/27/2006, 10:20 PM

ok.. I'm not sure adding a 2nd tank will help.......

my first sump tank will be 48 x 18 x 15 with a 10 inch water height.. due to my skimmer size this leaves a refugium of only 25 x 18 x 10 = 19.5 gallons.. minus 4 inches for DSB in fuge and this is only = 11.7 gallons for a fuge... just doesn't seem like enough to be effective?????

the 2nd tank (dedicated return tank) would have been 24 x 18 x 15 with a water height of 10 inches = 18.7 gallons... which i think is reasonable.. i have read you want a LARGE return area due to evaporation etc....

not sure a 11.7 gallon fuge on a 240 gallon aquarium will be sufficient?

ACBlinky · 11/27/2006, 11:42 PM

I've got two 'fuge areas in my 30g sump: 6g of water up front with rubble, 2-3" of sugar-sized aragonite sand and a little chaeto, some other bits and pieces of algae popping up, and another ~4g of water in back (after the bubble trap) stuffed with chaeto and nothing else. There are pods on the walls, in the chaeto, on the sand, in the rubble -- each type of pod seems to prefer different living conditions. Phosphates and nitrates in my 90g are undetectable, and I'm not shy about feeding.

An 11-18g area would be very beneficial used as a fuge -- it's certainly better than just leaving that area full of water as part of the sump. 11g of chaeto would make a decent dent in NO3 and provide a nice place for all sorts of critters to live and breed. I think having a DSB in that small area is probably pointless as far as nitrate reduction is concerned, but I would put at least 1" or so in -- certain pods seem to enjoy living on sand.

11/27/2006, 08:27 PM	#1
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	How Important Is It To Have A Refugium? I have a 240 Gallon Tank and will have a sump for my ASM G4+ Skimmer, Heaters, Etc. but I don't believe I have enough room for a refugium. I am limited on sump size as only a 48in long tank will fit through my stand doors. I could cut a hole in the side of the stand to fit a larger tank but right now I just want to get the tank wet and running. I may do this in the future. I plan on keeping a FOWLR tank for awhile but will eventually go to full reef. How many of you out there have full reef tanks without refugiums? Do you wish you had one? Why?

11/27/2006, 08:54 PM	#3
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	If you seriously want a full blown reef, you'll eventually see the necessity in having a fuge. More particularly if you intend on keeping sps, having a fuge will definitely make things more stable. I view it as creating more of a complete ecosystem for my tank than an optional part . __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

11/27/2006, 09:09 PM	#5
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	A refugium is a good way to add volume. But I took my 55g refugium down because my skimmer was so efficient I could not keep the macro algae alive. __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

11/27/2006, 11:42 PM	#8
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I've got two 'fuge areas in my 30g sump: 6g of water up front with rubble, 2-3" of sugar-sized aragonite sand and a little chaeto, some other bits and pieces of algae popping up, and another ~4g of water in back (after the bubble trap) stuffed with chaeto and nothing else. There are pods on the walls, in the chaeto, on the sand, in the rubble -- each type of pod seems to prefer different living conditions. Phosphates and nitrates in my 90g are undetectable, and I'm not shy about feeding. An 11-18g area would be very beneficial used as a fuge -- it's certainly better than just leaving that area full of water as part of the sump. 11g of chaeto would make a decent dent in NO3 and provide a nice place for all sorts of critters to live and breed. I think having a DSB in that small area is probably pointless as far as nitrate reduction is concerned, but I would put at least 1" or so in -- certain pods seem to enjoy living on sand. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

11/27/2006, 08:29 PM	#2
badgerlaw Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: SOCAL Posts: 247	I think a refugium is a nice addition to a tank but is not necessary. As long as adequate protein skimming is utilized there will be no problem especially in a FOWLR. I believe that they are beneficial for a reef system as they help keep up water conditons. THey are also good food sources for the fish and corals. Just my 2 cents

11/27/2006, 09:02 PM	#4
green814 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Swartz Creek, Mi Posts: 144	Just a thought, but what about a 2nd tank ( maybe 15g tall or standard 20 ) for the fuge. Drill it near the top & set it up to drain into the sump tank. I am probably going to do this for a 75g I am working on setting up. Chris

11/27/2006, 09:18 PM	#6
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	ugh.. keep going back and forth... i guess it comes down to me not wanting to cut the side of the stand to get a bigger tank in there..... i'll crunch the numbers with adding a 2nd tank as the return... so it'll go skimmer -> refugium -> 2nd tank as return......

11/27/2006, 10:20 PM	#7
Fishel Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 68	ok.. I'm not sure adding a 2nd tank will help....... my first sump tank will be 48 x 18 x 15 with a 10 inch water height.. due to my skimmer size this leaves a refugium of only 25 x 18 x 10 = 19.5 gallons.. minus 4 inches for DSB in fuge and this is only = 11.7 gallons for a fuge... just doesn't seem like enough to be effective????? the 2nd tank (dedicated return tank) would have been 24 x 18 x 15 with a water height of 10 inches = 18.7 gallons... which i think is reasonable.. i have read you want a LARGE return area due to evaporation etc.... not sure a 11.7 gallon fuge on a 240 gallon aquarium will be sufficient?