smoker9000
09-02-2006, 3:35 PM
which is a better filter for a reef tank wet/dry or refugium
dorkfish
09-02-2006, 11:01 PM
Provided that your sticking to normal stocking levels, the fuge is the absolute best option here. Adding a skimmer as well is also HIGHLY recomended, I and MANY other people would not do a normal sized marine tank without one.
azboostin
09-03-2006, 12:55 AM
What exactly will a skimmer do for a tank I have seen many without.... and what about mechanical filtration from dirt debree ect.. will a refugium tka ecare of this
dorkfish
09-03-2006, 2:48 PM
An effective skimmer removes DOC's from the water, BEFORE it can break down into ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, phosphates, etc... Go to your LFS and ask if they have a working skimmer there and if so, go see the stuff it takes out of the water - if that skimmer is working properly, you'll probably be at least somewhat disgusted knowing that the stuff in the collection cup was in the tank water. It is possible to do a marine tank without one, however
I won't ever recommend going with out a skimmer unless it's a small tank that you can do weekly water changes on, or you can just barely afford your proposed tank and a skimmer is a luxury you have to do without.
All the "dirt, debris, etc." will be eaten by all the micro-inverts (BTW, a fuge helps the micro-invert populations by giving them a place to live where they won't be eaten by the fish) or will decompose and go into the water column, and be taken care of by both the nitrifying and denitryfying bacteria (this is assuming your tank can support denitrifying bacteria bacteria), algaes, and the skimmer.
In a reef tank, if you have added and have live rock or live sand - basically there is something to eat almost everything you would normally put in there - even corals and fish, although the ones that eat fish and corals are viewable via the human eye and can be removed or killed somewhat easily.