Creating a Refugium

[Boret]

Hello,

 

I am putting together a refugium and I wanted to share a couple of ideas that I have.

I am using a AGA 30x12x12 tank, drilled in one side for overflow.

I want to first add water volume to the system, second have an area where to have some macro (to free some space in the sump for equipment, and also have a Coral breeding propagation area. One of my designs includes the posibility of growing mangrooves in one side (btw, where can I get mangrooves locally?)

 

Any feedback or thoughts on the design are more than welcome!!

 

Some of the questions that I have:

• Given the short height 12", what is the min light needed if I want to prop. corals?
  
• How important is water flow in the refugium? Should I put a powerful pump from the sump?
  
• Should I add powerheads inside the ref.?
  
• Can you mix macro and mangrooves?
  
• Should I return the water into the area of the sump where the return to the main tank is?
  
• Or, should I return the the ref. water to the "begining" of the sump so that it goes through the skimmer and UV?
  

 

Thank you for the help.

 

Boret

 

REGULAR REF. SETUP, NO MANGROOVES

 

 

REF. WITH BAFFLE TO SEPARATE SAND BED, INCLUDES MANGROOVES, USING MH LIGHT

 

 

REF. WITH BAFFLE TO SEPARATE SAND BED, INCLUDES MANGROOVES, USING T5 LIGHT

 

[treesprite]

Would not having it go back to the sump before the tank cause a loss of any pods that you might want to have go in the tank to feed the critters if you have any that would eat them?

[Boret]

Would not having it go back to the sump before the tank cause a loss of any pods that you might want to have go in the tank to feed the critters if you have any that would eat them?

 

Actually, that is a great point. Right now all of the pods are coming out of the cheato in the sump. So the return pump from the sump feeds the main tank with pods. Therefore, if I take water from the same spot where my return in the sump feed and then have the overflow go to the same spot I wont be losing that many the pods. The only issue with that is that the water out of the refugium will never go through the skimmer until it cycles thru the main tank....

 

Hmmm I think I better draw my setup.....

[Boret]

Lets hope this makes sense!

 

 

I blew up the proportion of the refugium and sump to be able to place the items inside.

 

Real image of the sump

CPR CY 194

 

Edited January 31, 2008 by Boret

[treesprite]

so your going from sump to fuge, then fuge to the return chamber of the sump so it won't go back through the skimmer. That makes sense

[gastone]

In your final diagram you are pumping the water from your sump into the refugium, which overflows back into the sump which is then pumped up into the display. Why not just run the overflow from the fuge directly to the display? This way the pods aren't subjected to another pump and the you are only paying to pump the water once.

 

 

garrett.

Edited February 1, 2008 by gastone

[JMsAquarium]

In your final diagram you are pumping the water from your sump into the refugium, which overflows back into the sump which is then pumped up into the display. Why not just run the overflow from the fuge directly to the display? This way the pods aren't subjected to another pump and the you are only paying to pump the water once.

garrett.

 

What Garrett said. Now as far as chopping pods through the pump, it is amazing how many can make it through alive. However Garrett described the easiest way to set it up.

Another conflicting point I can see, is having you cral prop rack in the same tank as your refugium. Basically, your frags will need a certain amoung of water flow to get the nutrients suspended in the water. On the other hand, a refugium works best withvery little flow, very minimal, in order to enable your algae to do their job.

[Boret]

That is a good idea. That way I increase flow in the main tank by having two returns into the main tank.

I am planning on drilling the main tank one of these weekends. Then I would be able to see the best way to run the pipes. I don't have a lot of overhead from the fuge to the main tank but it is higher so gravity should do its job.

 

As far as having both fuge and coral prop. in the same tank.... Could I divide the tank and place egg-grate in the middle? that way I can keep the macro away from the corals.

 

 

 

What Garrett said. Now as far as chopping pods through the pump, it is amazing how many can make it through alive. However Garrett described the easiest way to set it up.

Another conflicting point I can see, is having you cral prop rack in the same tank as your refugium. Basically, your frags will need a certain amoung of water flow to get the nutrients suspended in the water. On the other hand, a refugium works best withvery little flow, very minimal, in order to enable your algae to do their job.

[JMsAquarium]

.. gravity should do its job.

 

 

As far as having both fuge and coral prop. in the same tank.... Could I divide the tank and place egg-grate in the middle? that way I can keep the macro away from the corals.

 

 

Sure it will work fine. But like I said, your corals need flow, your refugium does need less of it

[gastone]

IMO I wouldn't use a large pump to feed the fuge/frag tank. Something in the area of 1-2 hundred GPH. As JM said, you want to give the algae an opportunity to do its job, which is to absorb nutrients in the water column. If the water is only there for a second or two before it gets whisked away, minimal absorption takes place. So turnover should be minimal. Flow on the other hand is a different story. If my memory serves me correctly Calfo said that 20x tank circulation in the fuge. I use a 100g stock tank with about 45-50 gallons (guestimate) allocated for the fuge. I use a modded maxijet 900 for circulation. Keeps detritus from settling, blah, blah.

 

As far as cordoning off a section for the frag tank, I don't see a prob. I would probably put some baffles in to keep the macro from infesting your frags though. From your first post I think either the 2nd or 3rd diagram would be a good start.

 

Garrett.

[JMsAquarium]

IMO I wouldn't use a large pump to feed the fuge/frag tank. Something in the area of 1-2 hundred GPH. As JM said, you want to give the algae an opportunity to do its job, which is to absorb nutrients in the water column. If the water is only there for a second or two before it gets whisked away, minimal absorption takes place. So turnover should be minimal. Flow on the other hand is a different story. If my memory serves me correctly Calfo said that 20x tank circulation in the fuge. I use a 100g stock tank with about 45-50 gallons (guestimate) allocated for the fuge. I use a modded maxijet 900 for circulation. Keeps detritus from settling, blah, blah.

 

As far as cordoning off a section for the frag tank, I don't see a prob. I would probably put some baffles in to keep the macro from infesting your frags though. From your first post I think either the 2nd or 3rd diagram would be a good start.

 

Garrett.

 

Exactly.

[Boret]

OK some real pix of the setup. Keep in mind the very limited amount of space!

Plus my desire to keep everything but the main tank in that room so the basement is quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JMsAquarium]

OK some real pix of the setup. Keep in mind the very limited amount of space!

Plus my desire to keep everything but the main tank in that room so the basement is quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will not change the setp up layout. I would just:

 

1- remove the egg crate divider and replace it by a baffle. That way, your macro algae will not invade your frags.

2 - put a small pump, to increase the water movement in the frag compartment. And you should be good to go.

 

 

I will not change the setp up layout. I would just:

 

1- remove the egg crate divider and replace it by a baffle. That way, your macro algae will not invade your frags.

2 - put a small pump, to increase the water movement in the frag compartment. And you should be good to go.

 

But either way it should work just fine otherwise.

[Boret]

So I took the saw, the heatgun, 100% silicone tube and a bunch of PVC and this is what the fuge looks like.

It is my first attemp at building something so please be gentle

 

BTW, I put silicone the same way I spread jam in a toast!!! What a mess lol!

 

 

 

 

So what are your thoughts?

[dschflier]

Wow good work. I see I taught you well with photo shop. The acrylic work looks good.

[JMsAquarium]

 

So what are your thoughts?

 

Now you are talking!!! Nice

[Boret]

Now you are talking!!! Nice

 

Thanks!!

I am all excited about being able to build my own gadgets. I might have to talk to Dan and have him give me a crush course on Working with Acrylic. (I guess I have to meet him first!!)

 

When I got some stuff from Caribbean Jake he told me how WAMAS members used to get together and build stuff such as TopOff systems, media reactors, etc... It would be great if we could get that going again!

[rioreef]

Is that stand strong enough for the weight you will be putting on it? Maybe add some crossing bracing as well.

[Boret]

Is that stand strong enough for the weight you will be putting on it? Maybe add some crossing bracing as well.

So far so good. We will see. My only problem is the temp raising now. So I have the fan on all the time. I think the 175w MH on the fuge is adding heat to the whole thing so I have to watch out. I got to 83.8 degrees.

 

Between pH, and temp, the most difficult part of a reef system is to obtain stability. Slowly getting there!

I will post a pic of the setup as it is right now when I get home.

 

Hopefully the fuge and the sump will be in the stand and the whole thing is strong enough by the time I get home. I should put the braces anyway just to play it safe.... Any suggestion on braces for it?

[Highland Reefer]

I am looking to install a refugium also and have been doing some research and came across an article where many of the reefers are using the new power compact bulbs for the refugium with excellent results. The heat is much less. This is the link for what they are using: http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/P...ectors/1P381951

I like what you have put together. Very impressive. Good luck

Edited February 7, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I am looking to install a refugium also and have been doing some research and came across an article where many of the reefers are using the new power compact bulbs for the refugium with excellent results. The heat is much less. This is the link for what they are using: http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/P...ectors/1P381951

I like what you have put together. Very impressive. Good luck

 

That's what I'm using...there are 3 in the following pic but I only use 2 now (that's a 40 gallon fuge)...my macro growth is off the charts with 2 of those bulbs.

 

You can also find similar bulbs *sometimes* at *some* Home Depot. I bought way too many. If someone wants 2 (brand new) at the meeting, I'll unload them for $20.

 

tim

 

Edited February 7, 2008 by extreme_tooth_decay

[Boret]

That's what I'm using...there are 3 in the following pic but I only use 2 now (that's a 40 gallon fuge)...my macro growth is off the charts with 2 of those bulbs.

 

You can also find similar bulbs *sometimes* at *some* Home Depot. I bought way too many. If someone wants 2 (brand new) at the meeting, I'll unload them for $20.

 

tim

 

 

My problem with that is the fact that I made it into a half fuge half coral prop tank, therefore I need the light for the coral side!

[Boret]

OK here it goes. This is how it looks as of today!

 

[Boret]

I am trying to figure out how to do the water movement inside the little coral prop area.

I placed 1 slow flow power head underneath the egg crate, and a 600gph facing to the glass and down to get a circular motion.

 

I am not sure if it would be ok to point directly at the corals....

[JMsAquarium]

I am trying to figure out how to do the water movement inside the little coral prop area.

I placed 1 slow flow power head underneath the egg crate, and a 600gph facing to the glass and down to get a circular motion.

 

I am not sure if it would be ok to point directly at the corals....

 

 

Un placer haberte conocido hoy

I would not point it directly at the corals, you risk to stress them too much> as far as the turbulence hits them you shpuld be fine. Keep up the good work amigo.