Refugium Question

StefanHayek · 02/15/2006, 10:55 AM

I have a 125g reef and I am interested in putting a fuge in my existing wet/dry

Picture of my wet/dry:
Proclear Aquatics 300 Wet/Dry

I am thinking about running a fuge in place of the bioballs in the second chamber, (as they were attributing to my nitrates quite significantly). Does anyone see any problems with me just removing the bioballs and putting some cheato and live rock in place of them? I don't know what I am going to do for a substrate, as there is not an overflow on the second chamber, the water simply flows underneath with a coarse filter there. (See above link for reference).

Does anyone see any problems with this?

Would there be a problem if I ran another skimmer in the last chamber, as the stock skimmer is not doing its job very well?

Thanks
Stefan

dhoch · 02/15/2006, 11:11 AM

Stefan,

No problem running another skimmer that's not an issue.

As for the bioballs DONT REMOVE THEM ALL AT ONCE... Remove slowly overtime.

Guaranteed that there is a lot of beneficial bacteria on them, and removing them all at once could cause a tank crash.

Once they are removed though, no problem using a refugium with chaeto & live rock in it's place.

Dave

mg426 · 02/15/2006, 01:10 PM

Ageed. You can weld a piece of acrylic where the polishing block is. this should make you water spill into the last chamber. Might take some thinking. make sure you test the reserve of your sump whatever you do For the pwer failure thats bound to happen

Recife · 02/15/2006, 01:36 PM

I'm thinking of doing exactly the same, but with a wet/dry like the one in this link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Amiracle-Sea-Ree...cmd ZViewItem

I will use live rock instead of the bioballs.

StefanHayek · 02/15/2006, 04:27 PM

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the advice!

Power outages aren't really a problem as I have an auto generator that kicks on within 3 seconds of a power outage.

But I will definatly have to think through the middle chamber fuge. I was thinking about just putting some of my substrate from the display in a large tupperware and make that my bed. Rather than worrying about making a DIY spillover to the third chamber. What do you guys think about that?

Also, what is your opinion on the Berlin Classic Skimmer? I have the ability to pick one up for $77, slightly used but in good condition (OEM pump).

Thanks,
Stefan

wpar · 02/15/2006, 05:10 PM

Stefan,

I made almost the exact conversion a month ago except I converted a Proclear 150 into a fuge. I have initially left a portion of the final filter in place as I wanted the population in the fuge to build up a little before I opented a path to the main tank. So far I am happy with the results. You will need to mark a new water level in the fuge so that you can turn off the return for feeding or maintenance. Mine is set about 4 inches below the top of the far right compartment.

Bill

gibbswagon · 02/15/2006, 05:42 PM

good luck. happy reefing!

StefanHayek · 02/15/2006, 06:09 PM

Bill,
Do you have any pictures of what you did?

That would help a lot.

Thanks
Stefan

wpar · 02/15/2006, 09:13 PM

Stefan,

I am at work until Friday morning

If you can wait until them, PM me with your email address and I will get it to you then.

Bill

Mndrsn2000 · 02/16/2006, 04:10 AM

I have a picture in my gallery about my wet.dry filter that I modified into a fuge.

CoralFiend · 02/16/2006, 06:15 AM

Instead of ruining a filter system that you paid almost $400 for (and that probably doesn't work very well anyway), have you considered trying to sell that to someone with a fish only tank and getting a good sump with refugium and a good skimmer? The reason I say that is that I ripped out my old Tidepool filter (from a 75 gallon reef) and put in a 30 gallon aquarium sump (with bubble trap baffles) and a Euroreef skimmer and a separate 30 gallon refugium. The tank did much better from that point on.

Pics of the tank & sump in my gallery.

StefanHayek · 02/16/2006, 09:45 AM

That's a good call CoralFiend,

I am planning on eventually doing somthing of the sort, hence the reason I am trying to minimize the strucutural modifications that I am making to the setup.

The skimmer that came with this system is really just a waste of space, I purchased the Berlin classic (couldn't beat the price), and I am going to attempt to run that in my last chamber. But a future upgrade is in the works. I have a spare 20g sitting in my garage, and I am seriously considering working that into the setup eventually. It would make a heck of a refugium.

I don't want to get too fancy, as I really don't need a river running through my bedroom and a waterfall into the kitchen below

02/15/2006, 10:55 AM	#1
StefanHayek Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ohio / Washington D.C. Posts: 49	Refugium Question I have a 125g reef and I am interested in putting a fuge in my existing wet/dry Picture of my wet/dry: Proclear Aquatics 300 Wet/Dry I am thinking about running a fuge in place of the bioballs in the second chamber, (as they were attributing to my nitrates quite significantly). Does anyone see any problems with me just removing the bioballs and putting some cheato and live rock in place of them? I don't know what I am going to do for a substrate, as there is not an overflow on the second chamber, the water simply flows underneath with a coarse filter there. (See above link for reference). Does anyone see any problems with this? Would there be a problem if I ran another skimmer in the last chamber, as the stock skimmer is not doing its job very well? Thanks Stefan

02/15/2006, 11:11 AM	#2
dhoch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,762	Stefan, No problem running another skimmer that's not an issue. As for the bioballs DONT REMOVE THEM ALL AT ONCE... Remove slowly overtime. Guaranteed that there is a lot of beneficial bacteria on them, and removing them all at once could cause a tank crash. Once they are removed though, no problem using a refugium with chaeto & live rock in it's place. Dave __________________ Check out my tanks website... click the red box above my post Current Tank Info: 180 gal Acrylic, 29 gal refugium, 40 gal sump, Mag 18 -> 2 Sea Swirls, Tunze 6100, 8 x 80W overdriven T5 Lights, ASM G4 skimmer

02/15/2006, 01:10 PM	#3
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	Ageed. You can weld a piece of acrylic where the polishing block is. this should make you water spill into the last chamber. Might take some thinking. make sure you test the reserve of your sump whatever you do For the pwer failure thats bound to happen __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

02/15/2006, 05:42 PM	#7
gibbswagon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ohio Posts: 177	good luck. happy reefing! __________________ Hail to the Redskins Current Tank Info: 55 gal, flame angel,yellowtail damsel, cinnamon clown, neon dottyback,spotted mandarin

02/16/2006, 06:15 AM	#11
CoralFiend Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Lake Charles, LA Posts: 304	Instead of ruining a filter system that you paid almost $400 for (and that probably doesn't work very well anyway), have you considered trying to sell that to someone with a fish only tank and getting a good sump with refugium and a good skimmer? The reason I say that is that I ripped out my old Tidepool filter (from a 75 gallon reef) and put in a 30 gallon aquarium sump (with bubble trap baffles) and a Euroreef skimmer and a separate 30 gallon refugium. The tank did much better from that point on. Pics of the tank & sump in my gallery. __________________ - Gary Reef Savvy 125 on order - Status: Waiting... Current Tank Info: 140 gallon reef

02/15/2006, 01:36 PM	#4
Recife Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellevue - WA Posts: 282	I'm thinking of doing exactly the same, but with a wet/dry like the one in this link: http://cgi.ebay.com/Amiracle-Sea-Ree...cmd ZViewItem I will use live rock instead of the bioballs.

02/15/2006, 04:27 PM	#5
StefanHayek Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ohio / Washington D.C. Posts: 49	Hey guys, Thanks for all the advice! Power outages aren't really a problem as I have an auto generator that kicks on within 3 seconds of a power outage. But I will definatly have to think through the middle chamber fuge. I was thinking about just putting some of my substrate from the display in a large tupperware and make that my bed. Rather than worrying about making a DIY spillover to the third chamber. What do you guys think about that? Also, what is your opinion on the Berlin Classic Skimmer? I have the ability to pick one up for $77, slightly used but in good condition (OEM pump). Thanks, Stefan

02/15/2006, 05:10 PM	#6
wpar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Coast Posts: 90	Stefan, I made almost the exact conversion a month ago except I converted a Proclear 150 into a fuge. I have initially left a portion of the final filter in place as I wanted the population in the fuge to build up a little before I opented a path to the main tank. So far I am happy with the results. You will need to mark a new water level in the fuge so that you can turn off the return for feeding or maintenance. Mine is set about 4 inches below the top of the far right compartment. Bill

02/15/2006, 06:09 PM	#8
StefanHayek Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ohio / Washington D.C. Posts: 49	Bill, Do you have any pictures of what you did? That would help a lot. Thanks Stefan

02/15/2006, 09:13 PM	#9
wpar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Coast Posts: 90	Stefan, I am at work until Friday morning If you can wait until them, PM me with your email address and I will get it to you then. Bill

02/16/2006, 04:10 AM	#10
Mndrsn2000 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Arizona, Queen Creek Posts: 69	I have a picture in my gallery about my wet.dry filter that I modified into a fuge.

02/16/2006, 09:45 AM	#12
StefanHayek Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ohio / Washington D.C. Posts: 49	That's a good call CoralFiend, I am planning on eventually doing somthing of the sort, hence the reason I am trying to minimize the strucutural modifications that I am making to the setup. The skimmer that came with this system is really just a waste of space, I purchased the Berlin classic (couldn't beat the price), and I am going to attempt to run that in my last chamber. But a future upgrade is in the works. I have a spare 20g sitting in my garage, and I am seriously considering working that into the setup eventually. It would make a heck of a refugium. I don't want to get too fancy, as I really don't need a river running through my bedroom and a waterfall into the kitchen below