Refugium?

[waynehallman]

Hope this in the right forum. What is the benifit of the refugium? Trying to figure out if I should/could add one to my 90gallon Reef. It would add some more water volume. Currently I have a 90 gallon reef, with the sump that came with it. I would guess the sump holds 5 gallons while in operation. A in sump protien skimmer. I have considered putting the tank over flow into a 10 gallon (that would be set up as an refugium the have it overflow into the existing sump. Any thaughts on this? Would it be okay to do with the existing set up just have it ready and add in during a water change? What should I have in the refugium?
Any help and ideas are welcome.
Thanks,
Wayne
:sail:

 

[brianjfinn]

Refugiums help by adding water volume and providing a place outside the display tank to grow macro algae and pods. If you can, definitely add one to your system. Check out http://www.melevsreef.com">www.melevsreef.com</a> for some really great information.

It also give you the opportunity to have a deep sand bed which will add more beneficial bacteria. Most people just keep live rock rubble and macro algae (usually chaeto) which help to reduce nitrates.

 

[waynehallman]

Thanks brian.

 

[brianjfinn]

No sweat! Did that answer all of your questions?

 

[waynehallman]

Most of them, I am just a little hesitant to add it with the system up and running.
Would love to know if anyone else has done it.

 

[smallblock]

I have, I had an old cpr hang on fuge, that i built a stand for and put it behind my sump. Plumbed it in with a maxi jet and drain into the sump and added lights.

 

[smallblock]

Time your lights so they come on when the display lights go out. It helps with ph swings

 

[waynehallman]

Did it swing any other peramiters or was everthing prety stable?

 

[brianjfinn]

Usually pH is affected when the lights turn on and off (can remember the science behind it at the moment) but alternating the lights on your fuge, or running the lights 24/7 (which is what I do) helps reduce the amount of pH change.

I added an EcoSystem Pro to my existing 20 gallon long, which is basically a HOB skimmer and fuge in one. That's the best decision I've made with that system. It really helps balance things and makes fighting nitrates much easier.