AquaClear 500 Refugium?

[print 6196]

I have a 46 gal with Remora C skimmer, AquaClear 901 and Maxi 1200 powerheads, Live Rock and a AquaClear 500.

I think the AquaClear 500 is doing more harm than good as far as Nitrates.
Can I take out the carbon and sponge and put in sand and some kind of macro algae to convert it to a refugium or is it too little to matter.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[CHughes]

Mark:
Definitely pull the carbon and sponge, with that in place it becomes a spot for build up of NO3.

I was looking to do the same with my Aqua 500 and was referred to this article in nanoreef.com at another forum.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30154&highlight=Physh1

A nice little DIY refuge.

Chris

 

[Aquarius0015]

I made a DIY fuge out of an AC 500. Mine isn't as pretty as the one in the nano-reef thread, but it was super simple to make.

I have grape caluerpa in there now, and I'm just itching to find some chaeto (nightmares of algae "going sexual"-- not cool!). I have a regular desk lamp with a normal "yellow" power compact light over it for much of the day. I would keep the light on all day, but I live in a dorm and I can't fall asleep with the light on.

I have decent caluerpa growth and I haven't had any nuisance algae problems. I don't know if the mini-DSB in the fuge has done any good, but I figure it isn't hurting anything for the time being.