How big of a refugium for a 25 gallon ? ... 4"x8"x8" big enough ??

drew930 · 03/27/2013, 06:35 PM

Trying to design my sump for my 25 gallon cube. I think im gonna go with a biocube 29 stand, instead of making one. So i will need a sump small enough to fit , and after thinking about it , I will only have a 4"x8"x8" area for my fuge. Ill probably just get chaeto. Maybe a sand bed..

IS this big enough ?

foundnemo11 · 03/27/2013, 07:15 PM

4 inches? I don't think so... If you mean feet yeah I have a 29 for my 75

drew930 · 03/27/2013, 07:32 PM

Sorry... I misspoke . I mean my sump will be 16"x16" , but after my skimmer section and return section, ill have a 4"x8"x8" area for chaeto, and sand. Will that be okay ?

Not 4"x8"x8" for the whole sump !

Dave Thebrewguy · 03/27/2013, 07:59 PM

Its small, but its not the end of the world. I'm no fuge expert but I recall reading a suggestion of having a minimum volume of about 10% of the system volume. Your fuge will be only about 5 quarts, about half the recommended size. My experience is that a small fuge is better than no fuge. I started off with a 4.5 gallon fuge on a system totaling about 85 gallons, about the same as what you'll have. I have a fairly light bio load but it worked for me. I've recently moved things around and improved my fuge to 5.5 gal which will have to be enough until I can build a custom sump that will give me 7.5 gal. Your fuge, like mine, is less than ideal, but it's not without benefit IMHO.

drew930 · 03/27/2013, 08:18 PM

I was kind of thinking the same thing, but didnt no if the size of the fuge section was more important than how much chaeto and/or sand you had in the section. Ive had 5 tanks but never with a fuge section and I want to try it on this one to see what happens.

I mean if that section was full of chaeto, it would be more beneficial than having no refugium section correct ?

Dave Thebrewguy -

what kind of lighting do you use for your refugium ?

flooddc · 03/27/2013, 08:27 PM

should be ok. you will need to thin out your chaeto quite often though!

flooddc · 03/27/2013, 08:32 PM

oh! i get more growth 6700k bulb than the 10000k.

03/27/2013, 06:35 PM	#1
drew930 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 1,333	How big of a refugium for a 25 gallon ? ... 4"x8"x8" big enough ?? Trying to design my sump for my 25 gallon cube. I think im gonna go with a biocube 29 stand, instead of making one. So i will need a sump small enough to fit , and after thinking about it , I will only have a 4"x8"x8" area for my fuge. Ill probably just get chaeto. Maybe a sand bed.. IS this big enough ?

03/27/2013, 07:15 PM	#2
foundnemo11 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 839	4 inches? I don't think so... If you mean feet yeah I have a 29 for my 75 __________________ I am a compulsive liar, and a millionaire. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef, mostly sps, bubble magnus skimmer nac5, Reefbreeders Photon48, hippo tang, kole tang, 2 clownfish, 3 chromis, 1 cleaner wrasse, 1 cleaner shrimp, crabs/snails

03/27/2013, 07:32 PM	#3
drew930 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 1,333	Sorry... I misspoke . I mean my sump will be 16"x16" , but after my skimmer section and return section, ill have a 4"x8"x8" area for chaeto, and sand. Will that be okay ? Not 4"x8"x8" for the whole sump !

03/27/2013, 07:59 PM	#4
Dave Thebrewguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 489	Its small, but its not the end of the world. I'm no fuge expert but I recall reading a suggestion of having a minimum volume of about 10% of the system volume. Your fuge will be only about 5 quarts, about half the recommended size. My experience is that a small fuge is better than no fuge. I started off with a 4.5 gallon fuge on a system totaling about 85 gallons, about the same as what you'll have. I have a fairly light bio load but it worked for me. I've recently moved things around and improved my fuge to 5.5 gal which will have to be enough until I can build a custom sump that will give me 7.5 gal. Your fuge, like mine, is less than ideal, but it's not without benefit IMHO.

03/27/2013, 08:18 PM	#5
drew930 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 1,333	I was kind of thinking the same thing, but didnt no if the size of the fuge section was more important than how much chaeto and/or sand you had in the section. Ive had 5 tanks but never with a fuge section and I want to try it on this one to see what happens. I mean if that section was full of chaeto, it would be more beneficial than having no refugium section correct ? Dave Thebrewguy - what kind of lighting do you use for your refugium ?

03/27/2013, 08:27 PM	#6
flooddc Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 304	should be ok. you will need to thin out your chaeto quite often though!

03/27/2013, 08:32 PM	#7
flooddc Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 304	oh! i get more growth 6700k bulb than the 10000k.