Refugium

[widdledink]

I have been reading how some of you guys use Refugiums in your systems. I was wondering if most of you have built your own or have bought a ready made refugium. I too am thinking of building one. Only thing is I don't have much $$ cause I am about to get engaged. Do any of you have a diagram that you could send me IYO on how to set one up? I am not sure on if I am to run it inline with my sup or on its own system.

Any Info would help

Grady

[SamsonNY]

I guess it would be cheaper to build one (if you're handy with acrylic) but, as another idea:

I bought a used SeaClear 50 gallon acrylic aquarium from E-Bay for $50. Bought a 48" double flo. NO light fixture and two 48" plant-gro bulbs (40watts each) from Home Depot for $30 and some macroalgae from members on Reef Central.

So, for about $100 (plus pump if you need one depending on your set-up and, tubing and shelf), I set up my refugium.

Just a thought.


(P.S. I also splurged on a heater since mine sits in my garage and it gets cold in there in the winter.)

I'm monitoring my nitrates to see how much of an effect it will have.

[widdledink]

I'm monitoring my nitrates to see how much of an effect it will have.

Let me know how it does on your nitrates. This is the same reason I am wanting to make a refugium.

[mogurnda]

Mine's a little CPR aquafuge, with a 13 watt PC light over it. Not much room for more with the 20. Can't say that it does much for NO3, but it provides a lot of pods and having it on reverse day/night cycle has stabilized the pH of the main tank.

[SamsonNY]

I'll update regarding the nitrates as time goes on.

Here's a pic to give you an idea of the tank I bought from E-Bay, the set-up (pretty simple) and the chaetomorpha I bought from a few folks on ReefCentral. All for about $100. (Shelving and heater were extra.)

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-7/36280/Fuge5.jpg

[widdledink]

What is everyones oppinion of putting a DSB in the refugium. I have seen some refugiums that are just like another tank that is running in parallel to the main tank and then others only have some calurpa in it.

I found a guy at my local HD, when I was going to check on the prices of acrylic, and got to talking to him. Well found out that he has 3 30G tanks that are in his way and is willing to part with them for only $20 each. I have a 75 G and was wanting to know if a 30 G refugium is to much.

I also plan on placing a pump on one end of the Refugium as to pump the water back up to the main tank. Is this a bad idea? I don't want to kill off all the pods that I hope will grow when I pump the water back up. My space is limited but I have room under my sump to put the refugium with a couple cheap 18" light strips.

[OrionGirl]

For sumps and refugiums, bigger is better. I've seen 10 gallon tanks that had 20 gallon sumps--all the added water volume helps stabilize the tank.

Pumps will kill pods. I think--but am not sure--that there are screw drive pumps that won't chop everything to bits, but I do not know a brand or where to look for them--sorry.