10g Refugium Question

Hopeful Reefer · 12/03/2006, 10:34 AM

My boss is a huge Christmas freak...office is all decorated and stuff...so, when I got to work today I though "What do my wandering eyes do appear?" A Christmas bonus check!! I never thought I would get one since I'm the new guy...but mom always said never look a gift horse in the mouth...

Now, my wife is super excited about getting this 75g tank up and running...I never though she would be, but I think me forcing her to go in to Marvins last week changed that...you should have seen how her eyes lit up when she saw the beautiful corals and fish that they have in there...especially the huge tank we all love staring at every time we are there...yeah, you know the one I mean...the huge tank in the front of the store... So, because she is now excited about having a tank, she is bugging the crap outta me to get something running...

So, when I told my wife about my bonus you can imagine her reaction...the bonus isn't much, but I could put together a small 10g tank with some sand, a power head, live rock, a light from HD or Lowes (like Melev uses on his refugium) and some chaeto...the tank would be from Wal-Mart...the sand, this company on eBay is selling 30lbs of sand from their coral growing tanks for $26.90 including shipping...plus, when you order you get 2 free snails, some free live rock and some free chaeto...

I plan on having a 10g refugium in my 75g setup anyway...I'm thinking I can put this 10g refugium together with all that stuff now and still have money left over for one of the baby-sized Hippo Tangs my LFS has that are about the size of a quarter...I know, they grow huge...by the time he gets really big, he would have already been in the 75g tank anyway...I don't have RO/DI at the house yet, so I'm thinking I can get away with using water from my LFS as well...10g initially and then 1-2 gallons a week for top-off and also water changes...with a powerhead for water movement and water changes...with such a low bio-load my parameters should be fine (after cycling of course)...

So...here is a question for ya...basically, will this idea work? Once I have my 75g up and running and cycled, I'll hook the refugium in to the system and be good to go...and of course put the tang in the show tank...in the mean time, I know tangs eat algae but will they eat macro? if not what else should I feed him in the mean time assuming I go with this...

I would love to have something small to start with now...that would be cool...and who knows, maybe I'll keep this and turn it in to a nano tank and upgrade the lighting and such...but for now, if my thinking is correct I can just set this up and eventually move it to the 75g system...if there isn't enough live rock with that guys package, I can get some live rock and base rock from my LFS and some DIY base rock from a local reefer if it is already done curing...

Anyone have any thoughts on this??

fsn77 · 12/03/2006, 11:39 AM

Yes, tangs will eat many forms of macro. I'm not certain how much they like chaeto, but caulerpa doesn't stand a chance against most tangs.

Personally, I'd take your idea for a 10g refugium and make it into a 20g refugium for your 75g. I put a 20g refugium on our 90g and I'm very happy I went with that size. If you have room for a 20g as a refugium, I'd go that route instead of just a 10g.

Hopeful Reefer · 12/03/2006, 11:49 AM

I had thought about a 20g...but, based on the dimensions that I'm using for the stand and cabinets I don't think a 20g will fit which is why I'm going with a 10g...my refugium will be elevated in a cabinet above the level of my tank...that way I can gravity feed the pods and such in to the show tank without chopping them to pieces in a pump...so, to fit I will have to turn the tank sideways...that is where the dimensions come in to play...so, for now I'll have to go with a 10g...

What I may do in the future though, is have a sump that has a 3rd chamber...the first chamber after the baffles for bubble elimination after the input will be for a refuge and then a skimmer chamber and then a return chamber...the upper fuge will be mainly for "cooking" my pods...the lower chamber I'll try to pack with more macro and live rock rubble...hey, adding more water to the system certainly can't hurt!!

Hopeful Reefer · 12/03/2006, 11:58 AM

The other thing I was thinking with this setup as well...once the 75g tank cycles...hooking the existing, bacteria filled refugium to the new system will help the new system to culture additional bacteria that much quicker...

kfowler · 12/03/2006, 12:37 PM

Here's my 10g Fuge/sump for my 20g display. Eliminate the skimmer and baffles and you'll have more room. The egg crate partition is to keep the chaeto from clogging up the return pump.

Krazy · 12/03/2006, 04:15 PM

I use a 20 gallon long as a sump for my 90, (I dont have a refugium) although I am thinking of adding a HOB refugium

I have 2 10 gallon nano tanks, I used the 9.97 tanks wal mart sells as well... 1 of them is my nano reef and the other is a simple propagation tank

I think you'll be fine with whichever route you decide to go (I'd try for something bigger then a 10gal refugium IF you can)

Hopeful Reefer · 12/03/2006, 04:19 PM

The refugium that will be elevated above the tank can't be anything other than a 10g tank...size of the cabinet won't allow this...the only other option is to have someone make me a 20" cube...that is just under 36 gallons...

I'm gonna put as big a sump as possible in though...I'll baffle it in to 3 sections so I can have a fuge in the sump as well...I know, 2 fuges are necessary but I want the upper one to really be a breeding ground for pods...and I don't want them getting chopped up by a pump...

Krazy · 12/03/2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hopeful Reefer
The refugium that will be elevated above the tank can't be anything other than a 10g tank...size of the cabinet won't allow this...the only other option is to have someone make me a 20" cube...that is just under 36 gallons...

I'm gonna put as big a sump as possible in though...I'll baffle it in to 3 sections so I can have a fuge in the sump as well...I know, 2 fuges are necessary but I want the upper one to really be a breeding ground for pods...and I don't want them getting chopped up by a pump...

That'll work fine then

12/03/2006, 10:34 AM	#1
Hopeful Reefer Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Just Southwest of Richmond, Virginia, USA Posts: 2,802	10g Refugium Question My boss is a huge Christmas freak...office is all decorated and stuff...so, when I got to work today I though "What do my wandering eyes do appear?" A Christmas bonus check!! I never thought I would get one since I'm the new guy...but mom always said never look a gift horse in the mouth... Now, my wife is super excited about getting this 75g tank up and running...I never though she would be, but I think me forcing her to go in to Marvins last week changed that...you should have seen how her eyes lit up when she saw the beautiful corals and fish that they have in there...especially the huge tank we all love staring at every time we are there...yeah, you know the one I mean...the huge tank in the front of the store... So, because she is now excited about having a tank, she is bugging the crap outta me to get something running... So, when I told my wife about my bonus you can imagine her reaction...the bonus isn't much, but I could put together a small 10g tank with some sand, a power head, live rock, a light from HD or Lowes (like Melev uses on his refugium) and some chaeto...the tank would be from Wal-Mart...the sand, this company on eBay is selling 30lbs of sand from their coral growing tanks for $26.90 including shipping...plus, when you order you get 2 free snails, some free live rock and some free chaeto... I plan on having a 10g refugium in my 75g setup anyway...I'm thinking I can put this 10g refugium together with all that stuff now and still have money left over for one of the baby-sized Hippo Tangs my LFS has that are about the size of a quarter...I know, they grow huge...by the time he gets really big, he would have already been in the 75g tank anyway...I don't have RO/DI at the house yet, so I'm thinking I can get away with using water from my LFS as well...10g initially and then 1-2 gallons a week for top-off and also water changes...with a powerhead for water movement and water changes...with such a low bio-load my parameters should be fine (after cycling of course)... So...here is a question for ya...basically, will this idea work? Once I have my 75g up and running and cycled, I'll hook the refugium in to the system and be good to go...and of course put the tang in the show tank...in the mean time, I know tangs eat algae but will they eat macro? if not what else should I feed him in the mean time assuming I go with this... I would love to have something small to start with now...that would be cool...and who knows, maybe I'll keep this and turn it in to a nano tank and upgrade the lighting and such...but for now, if my thinking is correct I can just set this up and eventually move it to the 75g system...if there isn't enough live rock with that guys package, I can get some live rock and base rock from my LFS and some DIY base rock from a local reefer if it is already done curing... Anyone have any thoughts on this?? __________________ -=< Jason >=- Yellow Tang // Black & White Clown // Golden Head Goby Blue-Green Chromis // Psychadellic Mandarin // Sebae Anemone Current Tank Info: 75g w/ 29g sump/refugium, 250w 15k MH (x2), T5 39W (x2)

12/03/2006, 11:49 AM	#3
Hopeful Reefer Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Just Southwest of Richmond, Virginia, USA Posts: 2,802	I had thought about a 20g...but, based on the dimensions that I'm using for the stand and cabinets I don't think a 20g will fit which is why I'm going with a 10g...my refugium will be elevated in a cabinet above the level of my tank...that way I can gravity feed the pods and such in to the show tank without chopping them to pieces in a pump...so, to fit I will have to turn the tank sideways...that is where the dimensions come in to play...so, for now I'll have to go with a 10g... What I may do in the future though, is have a sump that has a 3rd chamber...the first chamber after the baffles for bubble elimination after the input will be for a refuge and then a skimmer chamber and then a return chamber...the upper fuge will be mainly for "cooking" my pods...the lower chamber I'll try to pack with more macro and live rock rubble...hey, adding more water to the system certainly can't hurt!! __________________ -=< Jason >=- Yellow Tang // Black & White Clown // Golden Head Goby Blue-Green Chromis // Psychadellic Mandarin // Sebae Anemone Current Tank Info: 75g w/ 29g sump/refugium, 250w 15k MH (x2), T5 39W (x2)

12/03/2006, 11:58 AM	#4
Hopeful Reefer Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Just Southwest of Richmond, Virginia, USA Posts: 2,802	The other thing I was thinking with this setup as well...once the 75g tank cycles...hooking the existing, bacteria filled refugium to the new system will help the new system to culture additional bacteria that much quicker... __________________ -=< Jason >=- Yellow Tang // Black & White Clown // Golden Head Goby Blue-Green Chromis // Psychadellic Mandarin // Sebae Anemone Current Tank Info: 75g w/ 29g sump/refugium, 250w 15k MH (x2), T5 39W (x2)

12/03/2006, 12:37 PM	#5
kfowler Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,095	Here's my 10g Fuge/sump for my 20g display. Eliminate the skimmer and baffles and you'll have more room. The egg crate partition is to keep the chaeto from clogging up the return pump. __________________ Kevin "You cannot achieve what you are not willing to pursue." Current Tank Info: 20g Mixed Reef

12/03/2006, 04:19 PM	#7
Hopeful Reefer Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Just Southwest of Richmond, Virginia, USA Posts: 2,802	The refugium that will be elevated above the tank can't be anything other than a 10g tank...size of the cabinet won't allow this...the only other option is to have someone make me a 20" cube...that is just under 36 gallons... I'm gonna put as big a sump as possible in though...I'll baffle it in to 3 sections so I can have a fuge in the sump as well...I know, 2 fuges are necessary but I want the upper one to really be a breeding ground for pods...and I don't want them getting chopped up by a pump... __________________ -=< Jason >=- Yellow Tang // Black & White Clown // Golden Head Goby Blue-Green Chromis // Psychadellic Mandarin // Sebae Anemone Current Tank Info: 75g w/ 29g sump/refugium, 250w 15k MH (x2), T5 39W (x2)

12/03/2006, 11:39 AM	#2
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	Yes, tangs will eat many forms of macro. I'm not certain how much they like chaeto, but caulerpa doesn't stand a chance against most tangs. Personally, I'd take your idea for a 10g refugium and make it into a 20g refugium for your 75g. I put a 20g refugium on our 90g and I'm very happy I went with that size. If you have room for a 20g as a refugium, I'd go that route instead of just a 10g.

12/03/2006, 04:15 PM	#6
Krazy Registered Member. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 2,941	I use a 20 gallon long as a sump for my 90, (I dont have a refugium) although I am thinking of adding a HOB refugium I have 2 10 gallon nano tanks, I used the 9.97 tanks wal mart sells as well... 1 of them is my nano reef and the other is a simple propagation tank I think you'll be fine with whichever route you decide to go (I'd try for something bigger then a 10gal refugium IF you can)