Refigum? What size do i need. - Page 3

troublesx10 · 04/16/2009, 10:23 PM

i am back, ok so question simplyf:

I have a wet dry that the 2/3 of the wet/dry houses bioballs and is designed so the water flows evenly over them, so a large portion is having water poured it. the last compartment houses the skimmer and is connected to external pump.

can a refigium function with water pouring down on top of it, ie macro algea and substrate for pods? do i need to reconfigure the wetdry to calm the flow?

Whys · 04/17/2009, 03:41 AM

You'll want your macro-algae to be submerged, as well as any liverock you might put in there. Otherwise, you'll still have a wet/dry, just algae and liverock instead of bioballs, but still the same problems.

troublesx10 · 04/17/2009, 04:18 AM

so what do i do to convert it to functional ref? slow and divert water flow? or is it better to just replace with regular refigium?

will be home from vacation and back in states sat night, plan to have tank delivered and set up within 5-8 days, i have just enough time to order one and have it delivered----- any websites you may recomend or refigiums that would work? someone recommended a refigium recently from a guy that custom builds, What about that one?

Whys · 04/17/2009, 04:53 AM

I've never converted one myself and they are all a little different. So I guess the answer is... get creative.

Or buy something else.

troublesx10 · 04/17/2009, 08:11 AM

any idea of a good website, or what to look for in one.

what should i look for in one? i know i want to do pods and macro, with a substrate bottom for organisims.

i don't know what to look for, i think i heard 20% of volume of display tank, but how many baffles, how high do you want baffels, do you need to get new ext pump after calculating gph,how many compartments, what kind of wattage for a power flouresent?

i know of championlighting, marinedepot, drfostersmith.----- know of any others that might offer refigiums for better price?

troublesx10 · 04/17/2009, 09:27 AM

whys any suggestions?

Whys · 04/17/2009, 09:55 AM

Oh come'on... I'm not the only one here.

Umm... for pods I'd say liverock. For macro, do the Chaeto. I'd recommend a shallow sandbed personally. That'll provide a good environment for copepods. I keep thinking about doing it for mine, but the argument against is ditritus trapping. I just put a dusting of different sand grain sizes in mine, but admittedly, I don't see a lot of copepods. On the other hand, my system runs really clean.

You'll have to decide.

The height of your baffles is usually determined by the height of your skimmer, or in sump reactors, or what ever needs a certain amount of water height.

Sorry to say, a lot of this is stuff you're going to have to figure out for yourself. I have one baffle in my sump, but I can't say that is right for you, besides, I do have some micro-bubbles floating around. But then again, my sump is a very high flow. But then again, my sump uses a micron sock.... you see where this is going.

This is a complex hobby with many facets an endless options. No one actually knows what is truly "ideal". That's part of the hobby. Researching, learning, drawing conclusions, and deciding on your own solutions.

It helps to create several threads with very specific questions for each one. That will get you more responses.

KarlBob · 04/17/2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Whys
Oh come'on... I'm not the only one here.
Ok, I'll help, too.

Umm... for pods I'd say liverock. For macro, do the Chaeto.
I agree. Chaetomorpha rarely turns sexual, it doesn't need to be attached to anything, and it's not invasive. Caulerpa does turn sexual (then die), attaches to live rock, and is horrendously invasive. (So invasive, in fact, that several species are illegal to import into California, because they've gotten loose and taken over some areas along the Pacific coast.)
I'd recommend a shallow sandbed personally. That'll provide a good environment for copepods. I keep thinking about doing it for mine, but the argument against is ditritus trapping. I just put a dusting of different sand grain sizes in mine, but admittedly, I don't see a lot of copepods. On the other hand, my system runs really clean.
I put a 2 inch sand bed in mine, but I don't have a strong opinion on how it should be done.
You'll have to decide.

The height of your baffles is usually determined by the height of your skimmer, or in sump reactors, or what ever needs a certain amount of water height.
Agreed. My hang-on-tank refugium came with baffles already installed, so I didn't have to decide how tall they should be.

Sorry to say, a lot of this is stuff you're going to have to figure out for yourself. I have one baffle in my sump, but I can't say that is right for you, besides, I do have some micro-bubbles floating around. But then again, my sump is a very high flow. But then again, my sump uses a micron sock.... you see where this is going.
The most common recommendation I've seen is for three baffles, with the opening alternating between high and low. That configuration supposedly removes the most micro-bubbles.

This is a complex hobby with many facets an endless options. No one actually knows what is truly "ideal". That's part of the hobby. Researching, learning, drawing conclusions, and deciding on your own solutions.

It helps to create several threads with very specific questions for each one. That will get you more responses.
Part of what makes it so hard to get detailed advice is the fact that most people have a unique set-up. If you were on a board where everyone used one of the pre-packaged tanks, like the BioCube or the Red Sea MAX, then you'd get a lot of definite answers. Instead, most RC members have their own unique assemblies of totally different pieces. We can't tell you to install this, remove that, and move the other thing 3" to the right. All we can do is tell you what we've read or seen, and what worked (or failed) for us.

troublesx10 · 04/17/2009, 10:29 AM

thanks whys----- will let you know what i put together--- anyone recommend good website for prebuild refigium---- think i will do that instead of build one-----------------------.

Whys · 04/17/2009, 10:31 AM

Thanks Bob! Now do some work.

Whys · 04/17/2009, 10:32 AM

Sorry, no. I put mine together out of glass as part of my sump. It was a lot of fun to build.

troublesx10 · 04/17/2009, 10:39 AM

thanks for all the advice whys. I really do appreciate the responses and council. I will let you know what i come up with. I will be home, back from vacation and will have the ability to look at them in person at lfs to generate some kind of result to problem.

Whys · 04/17/2009, 10:43 AM

I wish you luck!

tmz · 04/19/2009, 09:44 AM

I've been away on a trip for the last week. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of variations on refugia/sumps designs and applications. I use various rubbermaid type bins plumbed together for a variety of compartments. For me though space is not a problem since the sumps/refugia are in the basement.

This thread provides lots of ideas and discussion on refugia and sumps:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

troublesx10 · 04/19/2009, 09:58 AM

hey thanks tmz,,,,, yep i am back from vacation too.... back to work tom. appreciate the input and the advice---- will look at the link.

tmz · 04/19/2009, 03:14 PM

I'm back from a trip. I'm retired so I guess I'm still on vacation.

troublesx10 · 04/19/2009, 06:44 PM

i began reading your replies and your write up on the refiugiums, and i have to say your write-ups gave me alot of insight into what it will offer if set up correctly. i would like to chat with you more about it but will probably have questions for you tomorrow as today i am still quite jet-lagged and not thinking correctly. i am going to buy one this week as i hope to get my tank up and running by the weekend. i think i will do hybrid system with a wetdry and a refigium--- what do you think of that, i want several fish, but i also want the ability to have coral and the benefits of macro-algea in the future... ever hear of such a system?

04/19/2009, 09:44 AM	#64
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I've been away on a trip for the last week. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of variations on refugia/sumps designs and applications. I use various rubbermaid type bins plumbed together for a variety of compartments. For me though space is not a problem since the sumps/refugia are in the basement. This thread provides lots of ideas and discussion on refugia and sumps: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1 __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

04/19/2009, 03:14 PM	#66
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I'm back from a trip. I'm retired so I guess I'm still on vacation. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

04/16/2009, 10:23 PM	#51
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	i am back, ok so question simplyf: I have a wet dry that the 2/3 of the wet/dry houses bioballs and is designed so the water flows evenly over them, so a large portion is having water poured it. the last compartment houses the skimmer and is connected to external pump. can a refigium function with water pouring down on top of it, ie macro algea and substrate for pods? do i need to reconfigure the wetdry to calm the flow?

04/17/2009, 03:41 AM	#52
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	You'll want your macro-algae to be submerged, as well as any liverock you might put in there. Otherwise, you'll still have a wet/dry, just algae and liverock instead of bioballs, but still the same problems.

04/17/2009, 04:18 AM	#53
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	so what do i do to convert it to functional ref? slow and divert water flow? or is it better to just replace with regular refigium? will be home from vacation and back in states sat night, plan to have tank delivered and set up within 5-8 days, i have just enough time to order one and have it delivered----- any websites you may recomend or refigiums that would work? someone recommended a refigium recently from a guy that custom builds, What about that one?

04/17/2009, 04:53 AM	#54
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	I've never converted one myself and they are all a little different. So I guess the answer is... get creative. Or buy something else.

04/17/2009, 08:11 AM	#55
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	any idea of a good website, or what to look for in one. what should i look for in one? i know i want to do pods and macro, with a substrate bottom for organisims. i don't know what to look for, i think i heard 20% of volume of display tank, but how many baffles, how high do you want baffels, do you need to get new ext pump after calculating gph,how many compartments, what kind of wattage for a power flouresent? i know of championlighting, marinedepot, drfostersmith.----- know of any others that might offer refigiums for better price?

04/17/2009, 09:27 AM	#56
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	whys any suggestions?

04/17/2009, 09:55 AM	#57
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Oh come'on... I'm not the only one here. Umm... for pods I'd say liverock. For macro, do the Chaeto. I'd recommend a shallow sandbed personally. That'll provide a good environment for copepods. I keep thinking about doing it for mine, but the argument against is ditritus trapping. I just put a dusting of different sand grain sizes in mine, but admittedly, I don't see a lot of copepods. On the other hand, my system runs really clean. You'll have to decide. The height of your baffles is usually determined by the height of your skimmer, or in sump reactors, or what ever needs a certain amount of water height. Sorry to say, a lot of this is stuff you're going to have to figure out for yourself. I have one baffle in my sump, but I can't say that is right for you, besides, I do have some micro-bubbles floating around. But then again, my sump is a very high flow. But then again, my sump uses a micron sock.... you see where this is going. This is a complex hobby with many facets an endless options. No one actually knows what is truly "ideal". That's part of the hobby. Researching, learning, drawing conclusions, and deciding on your own solutions. It helps to create several threads with very specific questions for each one. That will get you more responses.

04/17/2009, 10:29 AM	#59
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	thanks whys----- will let you know what i put together--- anyone recommend good website for prebuild refigium---- think i will do that instead of build one-----------------------.

04/17/2009, 10:31 AM	#60
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Thanks Bob! Now do some work.

04/17/2009, 10:32 AM	#61
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Sorry, no. I put mine together out of glass as part of my sump. It was a lot of fun to build.

04/17/2009, 10:39 AM	#62
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	thanks for all the advice whys. I really do appreciate the responses and council. I will let you know what i come up with. I will be home, back from vacation and will have the ability to look at them in person at lfs to generate some kind of result to problem.

04/17/2009, 10:43 AM	#63
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	I wish you luck!

04/19/2009, 09:58 AM	#65
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	hey thanks tmz,,,,, yep i am back from vacation too.... back to work tom. appreciate the input and the advice---- will look at the link.

04/19/2009, 06:44 PM	#67
troublesx10 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: miami shores, florida Posts: 91	i began reading your replies and your write up on the refiugiums, and i have to say your write-ups gave me alot of insight into what it will offer if set up correctly. i would like to chat with you more about it but will probably have questions for you tomorrow as today i am still quite jet-lagged and not thinking correctly. i am going to buy one this week as i hope to get my tank up and running by the weekend. i think i will do hybrid system with a wetdry and a refigium--- what do you think of that, i want several fish, but i also want the ability to have coral and the benefits of macro-algea in the future... ever hear of such a system?