refugiums

jamest0o0 · 01/17/2008, 09:39 PM

what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a below tank refugium and one that is above or at the same level as your main tank? I just want a refugium for a 55 gal reef and I am looking for the best set up...(ive also heard mandarins need a refugium to be successful and I plan to have one some day)

Aquarist007 · 01/17/2008, 09:54 PM

If it is above the tank then you can use gravity feed to return the water from the refugium to the sump or main tank

jbaty · 01/17/2008, 10:01 PM

there isn't any disadvantage of either. It's just a matter of how you plumb the system.

The advatage for me is, I do not have to use any type of mecanical filter media to keep the parameters in check. I use Cheato and calurpa (sp?) in my fuge and that does a natural filter of the nitrates and the like.

It's a personal choice....

qfrisco · 01/18/2008, 08:53 AM

With the below-the-tank refugium (what I have), your return pump will be sending the refugized (I think I'm going to copyright that term :-) ) water back up to the display. Some say that the impeller in the pump kills the pods coming from the refugium, but some also say a good bit still gets through unharmed. If you think about it, the majority of the pods that will be growing in your fuge will be so tiny as to barely be visible to the naked eye.

As capn says, with the above-the-tank refugium, the refugized water can be gravity fed, so no need for a pump. I've read some definitions of the term "refugium" to mean that it is meant to be seen, and not hidden in a cabinet or fish room.

On the other hand, not many people can or want to put another tank above their display tank. I like mine concealed under the display tank.

Tell you what though - I think it's a lot of fun just looking at the stuff that's sprouting out of the refugium. My son said it best the other day when he said our refugium was more interesting to watch than our 29g freshwater tank ever was! :-)

rustybucket145 · 01/18/2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

My son said it best the other day when he said our refugium was more interesting to watch than our 29g freshwater tank ever was! :-)

I couldn't agree more. After I got my first fuge setup (beside my main tank) I seriously spent more time looking in the fuge than I did in the main tank!

joeyg4583 · 01/18/2008, 10:38 AM

I saw a cool custom stand that someone built themselves that had a cutout to view the fuge under the tank.

jamest0o0 · 01/18/2008, 10:45 AM

Yeah I actually like looking at different refugiums people have, the problem is my main tank is in the corner of our living room and there is not really room to put a refugium somewhere unless I moved eveerything around or if I put it under our tank

K' Family Reef · 01/18/2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rustybucket145
I couldn't agree more. After I got my first fuge setup (beside my main tank) I seriously spent more time looking in the fuge than I did in the main tank!

that is too funny!

i find myself doing the same thing.

Aquarist007 · 01/18/2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarrenAmy&Maddy
that is too funny!

i find myself doing the same thing.

LOL--tell that to my wife--she gets upset when algae grows in the overflow

Aquarist007 · 01/18/2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WarrenAmy&Maddy
that is too funny!

i find myself doing the same thing.

very nice picture Warren===but that's not what refugiums are suppose to look like---there suppose to be jam packed with cheato with critters all in them and the sides caked with corraline

that refugium looks better then my tank

K' Family Reef · 01/18/2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
very nice picture Warren===but that's not what refugiums are suppose to look like---there suppose to be jam packed with cheato with critters all in them and the sides caked with corraline

that refugium looks better then my tank

hey Cap'n - i have seen your tank and i dont think so

adding the display fuge has really been a very neat addition/adventure to our system and when we upgrade plan on incorporating another one into the new system - perhaps from the 50 to a 75gal - the other day found an anenome hitchhiker attached to some LR rubble in there - nocturnal and opens up at nite w/ all these bubble tentacles - this is not the actual picture but the one in our tank is the same thing just not as big.

good to hear from you again Cap'n!

regards

pheromo · 01/18/2008, 10:57 PM

lets see refugiums

Ziggy953 · 01/18/2008, 11:02 PM

Whether you put your fuge above or below the tank add one! You will be glad you did!

01/17/2008, 09:39 PM	#1
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	refugiums what are the advantages and disadvantages of having a below tank refugium and one that is above or at the same level as your main tank? I just want a refugium for a 55 gal reef and I am looking for the best set up...(ive also heard mandarins need a refugium to be successful and I plan to have one some day)

01/17/2008, 09:54 PM	#2
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	If it is above the tank then you can use gravity feed to return the water from the refugium to the sump or main tank __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

01/17/2008, 10:01 PM	#3
jbaty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Garland TX Posts: 44	there isn't any disadvantage of either. It's just a matter of how you plumb the system. The advatage for me is, I do not have to use any type of mecanical filter media to keep the parameters in check. I use Cheato and calurpa (sp?) in my fuge and that does a natural filter of the nitrates and the like. It's a personal choice.... __________________ Thanks, Jerry

01/18/2008, 10:45 AM	#7
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	Yeah I actually like looking at different refugiums people have, the problem is my main tank is in the corner of our living room and there is not really room to put a refugium somewhere unless I moved eveerything around or if I put it under our tank __________________ Planning on new tank, been about 5-6 years since I've been in the hobby

01/18/2008, 11:02 PM	#13
Ziggy953 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Owings Mills, Maryland Posts: 690	Whether you put your fuge above or below the tank add one! You will be glad you did! __________________ If you want to see my tank click on the little red house. Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder - RKE - LEDs the works...

01/18/2008, 08:53 AM	#4
qfrisco Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Area Posts: 1,389	With the below-the-tank refugium (what I have), your return pump will be sending the refugized (I think I'm going to copyright that term :-) ) water back up to the display. Some say that the impeller in the pump kills the pods coming from the refugium, but some also say a good bit still gets through unharmed. If you think about it, the majority of the pods that will be growing in your fuge will be so tiny as to barely be visible to the naked eye. As capn says, with the above-the-tank refugium, the refugized water can be gravity fed, so no need for a pump. I've read some definitions of the term "refugium" to mean that it is meant to be seen, and not hidden in a cabinet or fish room. On the other hand, not many people can or want to put another tank above their display tank. I like mine concealed under the display tank. Tell you what though - I think it's a lot of fun just looking at the stuff that's sprouting out of the refugium. My son said it best the other day when he said our refugium was more interesting to watch than our 29g freshwater tank ever was! :-)

01/18/2008, 10:38 AM	#6
joeyg4583 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brighton, Colorado Posts: 234	I saw a cool custom stand that someone built themselves that had a cutout to view the fuge under the tank.

01/18/2008, 10:57 PM	#12
pheromo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 271	lets see refugiums