Sump / Refugium ... Deep sandbed, Shallow sandbed or No sandbed?

cveverly · 08/15/2009, 01:56 PM

I have ask this before in different ways so lets try this.

What is the best way to run a sump/refugium with the setup I have?

160 gallon display mostly SPS but some LPS and softies. Medium bioload from fish. Shallow sandbed with very uniform size grains of sand. No finds to pack down.

Sump is a three chamber 55 gallon square tank. First chamber contains skimmer (GS2 cone) and overflow from display going through a filter sock that replaced every couple days. Second chamber is for refugium and it has my heaters, pumps feeding GFO and carbon. It also contains macro algae and sand in one gallon buckets at the moment. The third chamber is for the return pump and the water from GFO/carbon reactors are pumped into this chamber.

My question, is the sand of any value (about 5" deep in 6 containers) or would it be better to remove it. Very easy to remove because it is in "buckets".

The sump would be cleaner and no place to trap the waste.

What is the benefit of the sand and is it worth it?

Also, are the nylon filter socks better or worse than the fabric ones? The nylon socks are free so I don't mind replacing it very often.

100%hydrophylic · 08/15/2009, 05:43 PM

just my opinion from what ive learned at my lfs and on this website: deep sand bed in the refugium. ive heard the reasoning is the point of a refugium is to grow diversified micro fauna and macro algae. well i always see tons of tunnels and bugs and things in my sand. soooo obviously these things like sand.... it just seems like a better idea to me. annnd i dont think the sand in the refugium is gonna be much of a detritus trap. idk if i should assume, but you have chaeto right? if so you should have pretty strong flow going through it, meaning detritus wouldnt settle tooo much in the sand. also those little bugs will help clean up the detritus if there were any (from my understanding) also i kinda like the idea of a refugium being a mini tank to put bully fish/ crabs in temporarily. sand creates a more natural environment IMO. idk if i have answered your question because i think its a little unclear. or maybe im just slow lol. i think its a little of both. you said sand of any value? well i would suggest a better live sand for your refugium. it also seems like a better idea to have it a deep sandbed because your main tank you said is relatively shallow sand bed. i dont fool with filter socks so i cant help you much there. but you cant beat free.... just keep the nylon ones (keep in mind this is an opinion from someone that has no experience with different types of filter socks)

wmdick_2007 · 02/23/2011, 07:58 PM

IMHO --- about 2 inches of sand in the whole sump. Deeper if well planted and with good rock fragments. Grunge is full of life and needs to be in the substrate. If sand is deep 4" or more gas pockets form and you do not want these hydrogen sulfide poison chambers forming. Substrate will form pockets of debris, like at front of glass where flow pushes debris into the substrate, these dark colored changing areas are good and just take a couple inches of substrate. Also, a couple of inches is enough to create a low ph area and help buffer the tank turning your sand into fine particles.

Let the water flow over it all and filter it on the far side --- before return. Be sure your sump lighting is not just running on your off cycle if the display on cycle is greater than 12-hrs.

Just years of experience.

08/15/2009, 01:56 PM	#1
cveverly Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Port Clinton, Oh Posts: 1,470	Sump / Refugium ... Deep sandbed, Shallow sandbed or No sandbed? I have ask this before in different ways so lets try this. What is the best way to run a sump/refugium with the setup I have? 160 gallon display mostly SPS but some LPS and softies. Medium bioload from fish. Shallow sandbed with very uniform size grains of sand. No finds to pack down. Sump is a three chamber 55 gallon square tank. First chamber contains skimmer (GS2 cone) and overflow from display going through a filter sock that replaced every couple days. Second chamber is for refugium and it has my heaters, pumps feeding GFO and carbon. It also contains macro algae and sand in one gallon buckets at the moment. The third chamber is for the return pump and the water from GFO/carbon reactors are pumped into this chamber. My question, is the sand of any value (about 5" deep in 6 containers) or would it be better to remove it. Very easy to remove because it is in "buckets". The sump would be cleaner and no place to trap the waste. What is the benefit of the sand and is it worth it? Also, are the nylon filter socks better or worse than the fabric ones? The nylon socks are free so I don't mind replacing it very often.

08/15/2009, 05:43 PM	#2
100%hydrophylic Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: GA Posts: 1,636	just my opinion from what ive learned at my lfs and on this website: deep sand bed in the refugium. ive heard the reasoning is the point of a refugium is to grow diversified micro fauna and macro algae. well i always see tons of tunnels and bugs and things in my sand. soooo obviously these things like sand.... it just seems like a better idea to me. annnd i dont think the sand in the refugium is gonna be much of a detritus trap. idk if i should assume, but you have chaeto right? if so you should have pretty strong flow going through it, meaning detritus wouldnt settle tooo much in the sand. also those little bugs will help clean up the detritus if there were any (from my understanding) also i kinda like the idea of a refugium being a mini tank to put bully fish/ crabs in temporarily. sand creates a more natural environment IMO. idk if i have answered your question because i think its a little unclear. or maybe im just slow lol. i think its a little of both. you said sand of any value? well i would suggest a better live sand for your refugium. it also seems like a better idea to have it a deep sandbed because your main tank you said is relatively shallow sand bed. i dont fool with filter socks so i cant help you much there. but you cant beat free.... just keep the nylon ones (keep in mind this is an opinion from someone that has no experience with different types of filter socks) __________________ :) Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 28g nano SPS

02/23/2011, 07:58 PM	#3
wmdick_2007 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 191	IMHO --- about 2 inches of sand in the whole sump. Deeper if well planted and with good rock fragments. Grunge is full of life and needs to be in the substrate. If sand is deep 4" or more gas pockets form and you do not want these hydrogen sulfide poison chambers forming. Substrate will form pockets of debris, like at front of glass where flow pushes debris into the substrate, these dark colored changing areas are good and just take a couple inches of substrate. Also, a couple of inches is enough to create a low ph area and help buffer the tank turning your sand into fine particles. Let the water flow over it all and filter it on the far side --- before return. Be sure your sump lighting is not just running on your off cycle if the display on cycle is greater than 12-hrs. Just years of experience. __________________ Enjoy! Current Tank Info: 13 mixed tanks