refugium for a nano tank?

Misslittlefoot · 10/25/2008, 01:20 PM

So I have an extra 1 gallon tank that I was using to grow brine shrimp for my clown fish, and since then I have switched to a mysis shrimp blend that is more nutritional for them....and now
I have this left over tank

I was wondering if I could make a refugium for my 12g nano tank so that I dont have to do such frequent water changes?? I have plenty of biomax and purigen as a filter but I would like something to help keep the nitrates down to keep my corals healthier...

would this 1g tank be sufficient as a refugium or would I have to go larger for it to be effective?

joeychitwood · 10/25/2008, 01:37 PM

I think if you are going to build and maintain a refugium, I'd recommend using the largest tank you can reasonably hide in your stand (or wherever else you plan on placing it.) An extra gallon of water isn't going to make a lot of difference in the quality of the system water.

Misslittlefoot · 10/25/2008, 01:41 PM

I have room underneath my tank....but is an old bedside nightstand but a 5 gallon could fit where the drawer used to be...I just dont know what to do with that 1 gallon tank now..
any ideas?

joeychitwood · 10/25/2008, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Misslittlefoot
I just dont know what to do with that 1 gallon tank now..
any ideas?

Do you have an office or work-space where you could set up a tiny tank?

Spideybry · 10/25/2008, 03:50 PM

A little LED light and some rock and a little filter and sand can go a long way.

WaterKeeper · 10/25/2008, 04:23 PM

I don't know gang, you can grow Chaeto in the small tank and use that to help reduce nitrates in the display, especially one that is only 12 gallons. I say use it.

Whys · 10/25/2008, 04:30 PM

I love the idea of a 12g with fuge. A little macro algae certainly isn't gonna hurt anything, and it can make for an interesting aqua environment all its own. Could be a fun project too.

Flipper62 · 10/25/2008, 10:39 PM

SORRY... A refugium In a nano tank ????

Just a waste.....I have been doing this for a long time.......A refugium in my larger tanks.....YA all is good.

But in a small nano tank......NO

SORRY......Just My opinion ............Been there...done that

Whys · 10/26/2008, 01:25 AM

Flipper, you make your position very clear, but you do not explain why.

MissLittlefoot, if you have fun playing around with things, and this thing is around to be played with, then it is no waste of time to have fun.

Be it truly functional or not, personally, I like the style.

stonedage · 10/26/2008, 09:05 PM

i had a ac110 on my 10g with a coralife 2x9w fixture that grew chateo like mad, pod production was huge and made a significant difference in my glass cleaning!!!!!! i say do it any fuge is better than no fuge, plus i ckept my heater in it to so that made the dt look better

rad3dad · 10/26/2008, 09:29 PM

Yea, you would be amazed at how many pods and cheato can fit in a gallon of space, I bet it would be a great filter addition to the nano. I don't think the CPR hob refugium's hold more then a couple gallons, and there rated up to 40 gal tanks i think.

Flipper62 · 10/26/2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Whys
Flipper, you make your position very clear, but you do not explain why.

MissLittlefoot, if you have fun playing around with things, and this thing is around to be played with, then it is no waste of time to have fun.

Be it truly functional or not, personally, I like the style.

OK...HERES WHY......In a nano tank, 5...8...15 Gallons, YOU should really do a 20% water change every week...( YES EVERY WEEK ).
Fast nitrate & nitrite, as well as amonea will rise much faster in a small nano tank VS a 90 gallon tank. The smaller the tank, the faster the change.

SO.......If you do weekly water changes, you will get the crap out. Thats why I say there is really no need for a refugium in that small of a tank

rad3dad · 10/26/2008, 11:17 PM

I agree you will still need to do water changes on a regular basis, as with any tank, to help remove harmful build up. But its also just as important to replenish the elements that are used up. How often water changes are needed depend on the bioload and consumption.
Having a fuge would have its advantages, and make the peeks in between less drastic. Stable environments are what we all are shooting for.
Letting a system peek/drop in a shorter time frame(say 7 days) is worse then spanning it over a longer period(10 days), or not peeking as high, in the same time frame.
If theres macro slowly removing phosphates/nitrates on a continuous basis, and pods blooming in masses consuming the source of these elements, why wouldn't you suggest adding one? It's only helping to keep the system more stable.

Whys · 10/26/2008, 11:25 PM

Flipper, thank you, that makes a lot of sense. Not functional for nitrate control.

Could still be fun tho. :p Half the fun is finding its use. :)

Maybe a brine shimp hatchery? What ever the case, it's a gallon of aqua-micro-climate and adds to the overall biotope.

Flipper62 · 10/26/2008, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rad3dad
I agree you will still need to do water changes on a regular basis, as with any tank, to help remove harmful build up. But its also just as important to replenish the elements that are used up. How often water changes are needed depend on the bioload and consumption.
Having a fuge would have its advantages, and make the peeks in between less drastic. Stable environments are what we all are shooting for.
Letting a system peek/drop in a shorter time frame(say 7 days) is worse then spanning it over a longer period(10 days), or not peeking as high, in the same time frame.
If theres macro slowly removing phosphates/nitrates on a continuous basis, and pods blooming in masses consuming the source of these elements, why wouldn't you suggest adding one? It's only helping to keep the system more stable.

SORRY......FALSE......... YES Stable conditions is what we all thive for...HOWEVER........ IN a small nano Or BIOCube Doing weekly water changes & using the correct salt.....Like OCEANIC Natural Sea Salt Mix....It adds all the Trace elemits back into the water

Then the weeky water changes........all,will be good

Thats why....A Nano tank....NO NEED FOR A REFUGE......If you do the normal water changes

rad3dad · 10/27/2008, 12:34 AM

Sorry? for what? and what is false?

We agree that you need water changes. We agree that water changes replenish used up elements, and remove harmful buildup.

Are you saying its false that a fuge would not remove nitrates/phosphates from a closed system, and that system would not be more stable with the constant removal of these impurities. That it is better to let them build up at higher levels before the scheduled water change?

Sure, you can successfully get by with out it, but having one would make it more stable. I'm sure the fish, polyps and corals don't mind the steady snow of fresh copods floating in from the fuge as well. The size of a system only limits its inhabitants, it still needs to be as stable as possible.

TRUE answer....more stable, natural environment = a healthier system.

A system all good is ok I guess, but a great system is better.

10/25/2008, 01:20 PM	#1
Misslittlefoot Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 8	refugium for a nano tank? So I have an extra 1 gallon tank that I was using to grow brine shrimp for my clown fish, and since then I have switched to a mysis shrimp blend that is more nutritional for them....and now I have this left over tank I was wondering if I could make a refugium for my 12g nano tank so that I dont have to do such frequent water changes?? I have plenty of biomax and purigen as a filter but I would like something to help keep the nitrates down to keep my corals healthier... would this 1g tank be sufficient as a refugium or would I have to go larger for it to be effective? __________________ Misslittlefoot:) Current Tank Info: 12 gallon reef nano tank

10/25/2008, 01:41 PM	#3
Misslittlefoot Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 8	I have room underneath my tank....but is an old bedside nightstand but a 5 gallon could fit where the drawer used to be...I just dont know what to do with that 1 gallon tank now.. any ideas? __________________ Misslittlefoot:) Current Tank Info: 12 gallon reef nano tank

10/25/2008, 03:50 PM	#5
Spideybry Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 91	A little LED light and some rock and a little filter and sand can go a long way. __________________ If you don't help noobs... they will grow... Current Tank Info: 83g Rimless Reef, 40g Frag tank

10/25/2008, 04:23 PM	#6
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	I don't know gang, you can grow Chaeto in the small tank and use that to help reduce nitrates in the display, especially one that is only 12 gallons. I say use it. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

10/25/2008, 10:39 PM	#8
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	SORRY... A refugium In a nano tank ???? Just a waste.....I have been doing this for a long time.......A refugium in my larger tanks.....YA all is good. But in a small nano tank......NO SORRY......Just My opinion ............Been there...done that __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW Last edited by Flipper62; 10/25/2008 at 10:50 PM.

10/25/2008, 01:37 PM	#2
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	I think if you are going to build and maintain a refugium, I'd recommend using the largest tank you can reasonably hide in your stand (or wherever else you plan on placing it.) An extra gallon of water isn't going to make a lot of difference in the quality of the system water.

10/25/2008, 04:30 PM	#7
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	I love the idea of a 12g with fuge. A little macro algae certainly isn't gonna hurt anything, and it can make for an interesting aqua environment all its own. Could be a fun project too.

10/26/2008, 01:25 AM	#9
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Flipper, you make your position very clear, but you do not explain why. MissLittlefoot, if you have fun playing around with things, and this thing is around to be played with, then it is no waste of time to have fun. Be it truly functional or not, personally, I like the style.

10/26/2008, 09:05 PM	#10
stonedage Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: ontario canada Posts: 137	i had a ac110 on my 10g with a coralife 2x9w fixture that grew chateo like mad, pod production was huge and made a significant difference in my glass cleaning!!!!!! i say do it any fuge is better than no fuge, plus i ckept my heater in it to so that made the dt look better

10/26/2008, 09:29 PM	#11
rad3dad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 175	Yea, you would be amazed at how many pods and cheato can fit in a gallon of space, I bet it would be a great filter addition to the nano. I don't think the CPR hob refugium's hold more then a couple gallons, and there rated up to 40 gal tanks i think. __________________ The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

10/26/2008, 11:17 PM	#13
rad3dad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 175	I agree you will still need to do water changes on a regular basis, as with any tank, to help remove harmful build up. But its also just as important to replenish the elements that are used up. How often water changes are needed depend on the bioload and consumption. Having a fuge would have its advantages, and make the peeks in between less drastic. Stable environments are what we all are shooting for. Letting a system peek/drop in a shorter time frame(say 7 days) is worse then spanning it over a longer period(10 days), or not peeking as high, in the same time frame. If theres macro slowly removing phosphates/nitrates on a continuous basis, and pods blooming in masses consuming the source of these elements, why wouldn't you suggest adding one? It's only helping to keep the system more stable. __________________ The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.

10/26/2008, 11:25 PM	#14
Whys Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,263	Flipper, thank you, that makes a lot of sense. Not functional for nitrate control. Could still be fun tho. :p Half the fun is finding its use. :) Maybe a brine shimp hatchery? What ever the case, it's a gallon of aqua-micro-climate and adds to the overall biotope.

10/27/2008, 12:34 AM	#16
rad3dad Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 175	Sorry? for what? and what is false? We agree that you need water changes. We agree that water changes replenish used up elements, and remove harmful buildup. Are you saying its false that a fuge would not remove nitrates/phosphates from a closed system, and that system would not be more stable with the constant removal of these impurities. That it is better to let them build up at higher levels before the scheduled water change? Sure, you can successfully get by with out it, but having one would make it more stable. I'm sure the fish, polyps and corals don't mind the steady snow of fresh copods floating in from the fuge as well. The size of a system only limits its inhabitants, it still needs to be as stable as possible. TRUE answer....more stable, natural environment = a healthier system. A system all good is ok I guess, but a great system is better.