refugium
- Thread starter nitrofish
- Start date
JustDavidP
Non-member
Nitro..
It really depends on what your fuge is for? Are you going to keep it as a macro fuge and keep it trimmed back? If so, the flow rate will depend on the macro. Some like it hard, some like it harder (Chaeto actually does better when it rolls around like tumbleweed)... some like very little flow. Are you going to just use a deep sand bed and some rubble in hopes of making a "pod farm"? If so, you want the flow to be strong enough to push the planktonic sized particles through the system while not sweeping all the "adult" pods/shrimp/etc. out.
Size is a different story. The bigger the better. Most people will say that you have to have somewhere's about 30-40% of your display volume. I say, whatever you can do. If you can't do one large fuge, do a couple smaller ones. ANY increase in water volume and/or the addition of a plankton farm of sorts is better than none.
I have about 20-30 gallons (have to do the math some day - h+l+w-DSB and LR) under my 75G with deep sand, rubble piles, LR, and macro. I have another 5 gallon dark fuge with just rock rubble. That one is crawlin with pods. I'm going to upgrade that into a 10 gallon as soon as I get it drilled.
Ya know.. I don't always agree with all the "experts" out there, but in the case of refugia, I do like what Calfo and Fenner have to say. So far, all their hints/tips have worked for me. If you can't put your hands on their Reef Invertibrates book (Good chapter in re: refugia), check out www.wetwebmedia.com and search for refugium FAQs.
BYW... I am more stoked with the life I find in my fuges, than that in the display lately. I'm seriously cataloging what I find in there. I have over 6 different kinds of sponges alone. It's amazing what will really grow out of our live rock and live sand when it is not preyed upon.
Dave
It really depends on what your fuge is for? Are you going to keep it as a macro fuge and keep it trimmed back? If so, the flow rate will depend on the macro. Some like it hard, some like it harder (Chaeto actually does better when it rolls around like tumbleweed)... some like very little flow. Are you going to just use a deep sand bed and some rubble in hopes of making a "pod farm"? If so, you want the flow to be strong enough to push the planktonic sized particles through the system while not sweeping all the "adult" pods/shrimp/etc. out.
Size is a different story. The bigger the better. Most people will say that you have to have somewhere's about 30-40% of your display volume. I say, whatever you can do. If you can't do one large fuge, do a couple smaller ones. ANY increase in water volume and/or the addition of a plankton farm of sorts is better than none.
I have about 20-30 gallons (have to do the math some day - h+l+w-DSB and LR) under my 75G with deep sand, rubble piles, LR, and macro. I have another 5 gallon dark fuge with just rock rubble. That one is crawlin with pods. I'm going to upgrade that into a 10 gallon as soon as I get it drilled.
Ya know.. I don't always agree with all the "experts" out there, but in the case of refugia, I do like what Calfo and Fenner have to say. So far, all their hints/tips have worked for me. If you can't put your hands on their Reef Invertibrates book (Good chapter in re: refugia), check out www.wetwebmedia.com and search for refugium FAQs.
BYW... I am more stoked with the life I find in my fuges, than that in the display lately. I'm seriously cataloging what I find in there. I have over 6 different kinds of sponges alone. It's amazing what will really grow out of our live rock and live sand when it is not preyed upon.
Dave
JustDavidP
Non-member
nitrofish said:
Both systems? What do ya mean?
You can get de-nitrification in many ways. Growing and harvesting the macro algaes is one way. Nutrients get "fixed" in the form of the alga, and you then rip it out from time to time.
Deep sand beds in display tanks and in larger refugia also help reduce nitrates.
Dave
