wet dry VS refugium

dpbag · 05/12/2009, 11:20 AM

I have been in the hobby for over ten years and owned a number of tanks my largest being 220 gallons. We moved in our new house two years ago and I have put together a 90 gallon reef tank in my kids playroom, and I am finally going to step up and set up a 300 to 350 reef in my dining room. I have been hearing a lot in the last year about refugiums. What is the way to go on a large reef
REFUGIUM
LARGE WET DRY
A LARGE WET DRY AND A REFUGIUM COMBINATION
I am looking forward to some input and why

bergzy · 05/12/2009, 01:36 PM

nitrate

Phosphates

these two factors alone are the reason i use a refugium to grow macroalgae...preferably chaetomorpha.

nutrient export is vital in a reef environment esp if one decides to keep stony corals.

wet/dry has had its day in the early days of reefing and are still a great way to convert ammonia to nitrate. but without a nutrient export method...those nutrients will just keep accumulating and hurting your tank.

dpbag · 05/12/2009, 08:03 PM

So a combination of wet dry and refugium is not a good option ? just stick with the refugium

noboddi · 05/12/2009, 09:24 PM

Wet/Dry filters really have no place in a reef setup. The bio balls/whatever material will turn into a detritus trap, not to mention that by moving the nitrification cycle away from the live rock/live sand, with the end result that the W/D will become a nitrate factory.

Reef systems should have 0 or close to 0 nitrates and that just cannot be accomplished with a W/D in the system. The LR/LS has more than enough bio capacity to handle the tanks needs.

dpbag · 05/13/2009, 07:53 AM

Who builds the nicest refugium out there for a 300 to 350 gallon tank

cap23244 · 05/13/2009, 08:16 AM

you can build the nicest refuigium out there. there are many plans out there. if you are going to put it under a stand you could use a 55 gallon or larger tank to make it. look on you tube
under sumps and refiumiguims the is a build for a 55 sump un there.

bergzy · 05/13/2009, 08:18 AM

i use a 5g bucket for my refugium on a 300g adjusted volume system. i started using adjusted volumes as it is a more accurate way to think of a tank system when i started the zeovit system.

adjusted means you take into account the water volume lost due to rock, sand displacement etc as well as the fact that no one should fill there whatever volume sump up to the brim.

here's my refugium that i have streamlined down to a 5g bucket that grows macro really fast!

05/12/2009, 11:20 AM	#1
dpbag Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 7	wet dry VS refugium I have been in the hobby for over ten years and owned a number of tanks my largest being 220 gallons. We moved in our new house two years ago and I have put together a 90 gallon reef tank in my kids playroom, and I am finally going to step up and set up a 300 to 350 reef in my dining room. I have been hearing a lot in the last year about refugiums. What is the way to go on a large reef REFUGIUM LARGE WET DRY A LARGE WET DRY AND A REFUGIUM COMBINATION I am looking forward to some input and why

05/12/2009, 01:36 PM	#2
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	nitrate Phosphates these two factors alone are the reason i use a refugium to grow macroalgae...preferably chaetomorpha. nutrient export is vital in a reef environment esp if one decides to keep stony corals. wet/dry has had its day in the early days of reefing and are still a great way to convert ammonia to nitrate. but without a nutrient export method...those nutrients will just keep accumulating and hurting your tank. __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.

05/12/2009, 09:24 PM	#4
noboddi Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 813	Wet/Dry filters really have no place in a reef setup. The bio balls/whatever material will turn into a detritus trap, not to mention that by moving the nitrification cycle away from the live rock/live sand, with the end result that the W/D will become a nitrate factory. Reef systems should have 0 or close to 0 nitrates and that just cannot be accomplished with a W/D in the system. The LR/LS has more than enough bio capacity to handle the tanks needs. __________________ Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem - William of Ockham Current Tank Info: 55 gallon (36x18x20), 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, TEK 6x39w fixture, Osmolator, Kalk Reactor, Vortech MP20, 2 Koralia 3s on controller, Acropora, Anthelia, Montipora, Starry Blenny, Yellow Watchman, Rainford Goby, Tiger Gobies

05/13/2009, 07:53 AM	#5
dpbag Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 7	Who build the nicest refugium Who builds the nicest refugium out there for a 300 to 350 gallon tank

05/13/2009, 08:16 AM	#6
cap23244 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: warren oh. Posts: 409	you can build the nicest refuigium out there. there are many plans out there. if you are going to put it under a stand you could use a 55 gallon or larger tank to make it. look on you tube under sumps and refiumiguims the is a build for a 55 sump un there. __________________ You Know You Have a Problem When You Dream Of a Having A Really Large Saltwater Reef Tank Instead of a New Corvette Or House LoL Current Tank Info: 55-125 33 40l 72 bow flatback

05/12/2009, 08:03 PM	#3
dpbag Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 7	So a combination of wet dry and refugium is not a good option ? just stick with the refugium

05/13/2009, 08:18 AM	#7
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	i use a 5g bucket for my refugium on a 300g adjusted volume system. i started using adjusted volumes as it is a more accurate way to think of a tank system when i started the zeovit system. adjusted means you take into account the water volume lost due to rock, sand displacement etc as well as the fact that no one should fill there whatever volume sump up to the brim. here's my refugium that i have streamlined down to a 5g bucket that grows macro really fast! __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.