freaky refugium idea

[suziq]

Well, once again my boyfriend has taken a little project and gone all out on creating a nano reef. :D

Background: We have a 20g high that has been wet for a week now. Salinity 1.023. 10# of base sand, 20#argalive, and 20# of LR, halfe cultured, half uncultured. We may be adding more today of LR and Sand. 2 402 powerheads w/ quickfilters. 130w of JBJ lights.

Our plan is a mini reef based around a jawfish, Other companions have yet to be determined. We are hoping that our large amounts of LR will provide the nitrifying filtration. Well, yesterday our original crappy HOB died and we decided to get another soon. After reading up on filtration and nitrates and looking at refugium set ups in the area, my boyfriend had a brainstorm.

Buy a large HOB (probably a Aquaclear 300 or 500), modify it as needed with screen/sponges, add a clamp on light, and use that as a refugium for macroalgae!

Any inputs/concerns? I'd like to hear what think of such an idea?

I think it is crazy enuf to work!

[OrionGirl]

It wouldn't really be big enough, and you would need a way to slow the water movement way down. I know that the water really swirls through my 300 without the sponges in there--not ideal for a refugium.

You'd be better off setting up a 5 gallon tank with a small powerhead pulling the water over, and a overflow siphon setup to return the water to the main tank. Then you could add some sand, all the macro algaes, and just put a strip light or a high watt clip-on. If you use a clip-on--be VERY sure it's secured. I would worry that it would get knocked into the tank and fry everythings.

[Corax]

I thought about doing that with an Emperor 400 on a 29 a while back but I never got around to trying it.. I see no reason why it wouldn't work except for the flowrate going through there... The macro algae might get beat up pretty badly.. Other than that, it's a very viable idea, IMHO... Let us know how it turns out =)

[slipknottin]

You can use one of those tetratec filters with a light to make a mini algae scrubber.

Just pull out the media and stick some plastic screen in there.

[suziq]

Would having a good amount of sponge as a prefilter ( one on the intake and one on the inside of the carriage on the side closest to the intake) along with setting it at the lowest flow may reduce it enough. What is a normal flow rate through most refugiums? I have seen most in a filter box under the tank. That has to have a good flow rate though it for filtration, right? what is a normal gallons per hour on a XXX sized tank?

My boyfriend doesn't want to deal with alot of tubes and such hanging offthe back so the sump idea will probably be shot down. . This seems like a good option.

Any one out there have a Aquaclear 300 or 500 and know what the minimum flow rate is?

[redpaulhus]

I've considered doing this using an airlift ( at least 1" diameter) instead of the impeller to bring the water into an Aquaclear 500.
The volume would compare favorably with some of the "in tank" refugiums - assuming that pod prodution (and not nutrient export) is the primary goal.

A layer of ceramic "noodles" on the bottom (lots of holes for pods to hide in) covered by a loose pile of liverock or baserock (not thick slabs or blocks) and some gracilaria or other macroalgae was how I was planning on doing this...

I was thinking of putting a sheet of glass from a local glass shop on top, and using an LOA 65w light ....