10gal reef

[BDN]

I want the best and most stable water condition for my tank I have 20lbs of live rock and 500gph of flow in my tank right now. I plan on having all sorts of corals and 1-2 fish. My ? is should I add a skimmer or a refuge? I don't real want to run a sump. Less pumps the butter my kids room looks like a controle panel already. Or do you think my tank should be fine? Thanks

 

[seattle989]

imo if u not keen on water changes then yes a skimmer, or if you u can simply do no fish and just corals IMO

im adding a fuge on my 3 gal pico just because i can and i like the look of different algea

 

[BDN]

what is the smallest rufuge to benifit my reef 1-2gal?

 

[seattle989]

hmm well im planning to add like a 5 gallon refuge. to me 3 gallon lol. I mean for a nano the more WATER volume circulating in your tank the more stable and balance the water chemistry will be so depending on how much room u want to play with its up to you. nano skimmers imo are pretty much junk. u could try to find a HOB skimmer cpr has a few good ones out there i think so anyways.


have i gone skimmerless and refugeless in a 10 gallon yes, is it recommended no is it possible with frequent water changes and light bioload yes.

 

[seattle989]

A cool idea to keep in in one small contain system would be like something like this. you know the concept of the biocube? your pretty much could do the same thing will some acrylic cut to length at lowes. use about 1/3 of your 10 gallon and place the baffle. score an overflow into the baffle and drill a hole for the return pump u can even hide your heater and cheato in that section of your 10 gallon. sure it will take some real estate room but reading your post its seems your confined

 

[BDN]

Ya not much room with all that LR and power heads I was thinking of somthing like this http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/diy/19084-my-diy-hob-refugium-skimmer.html

 

[seattle989]

thats what im doin hob fuge

 

[BDN]

Think I should do away with the skimmer just have the fuge.

 

[BDN]

That looks like a killer set up you got there.

 

[seattle989]

if i had to i;d choose id choose refugium cheaper adds more water and helps with nitrates, but if you could do both that would be golden
gotfish already started a thread in what i was talking about looks pretty cool

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43164

and yeah thanks for the compliment im quickly runing out of room lol, so im gonna attach a 75 gallon to it soon