Refugium
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Krish
RF STAFF
It all depends... What are you trying to accomplish and how big is the sump? The reason I ask is because sometimes sand or even mud can cause more harm than good. Not enough of either in a fuge and it will do practically nothing for denitrification and also, can become a detritus and waste trap which can in turn degrade water quality...Any special reason why you wanted to use either? Let us know. Nothing wrong with using sand or mud, but we'd need to know what you are trying to accomplish with the fuge
ok my sump is 30x13x14 have a 90 gal tank all of my sump,skimmer and cal reactor are lifereef and i want to put a refugium for algee try it for natural removal of nitrates instead of using a remover . Was going to have it next to sump. size of refugium is 20x12x18. how much sand or mud do I need or any at all. also ;what would you advise using a fuge for in a reef tank, is it better to have one, or not. thx.
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ecobalance
lifetaper
advantages and disadvantages
The purpose of sand in a refugium,is to filter water biologically.The problem with first time refugium owners is the uncontrolable urge to tinker with,or expect it to turn into a thriveing,teaming with life,refugium over night.A refugium is a great way to run a reef tank,but will not be truely balanced for up to a year.Krish stated that size does matter.I couldn't agree more.The length of the sand bed,grain size,and flo rate all have equal importance.A common occurance in a newly established refuge is things like cyno-bacteria,diatoms,and hair algae,which if left alone will eventially disapere.It should be void of crabs,snails,or any other animals that will prey on the micro-life that is so important.Routine maintance is still a must in the form of occasional stiring of the top of the sand with a stick to release un-used detritus[once or twice every few months]a light can be incorperated to grow macro-algae for the purpose of phosphate reduction,via cultivation.Now for the disadvantages.Eventually the bed will become exuasted,and should be changed at about a forth a year or so depending on the bio-load.Mud based substrates will exuast much faster.A bare sump on the other hand requires much more maintance,to remove detritus,because of the lack of sand dweling creatures that feed on detritus.
The purpose of sand in a refugium,is to filter water biologically.The problem with first time refugium owners is the uncontrolable urge to tinker with,or expect it to turn into a thriveing,teaming with life,refugium over night.A refugium is a great way to run a reef tank,but will not be truely balanced for up to a year.Krish stated that size does matter.I couldn't agree more.The length of the sand bed,grain size,and flo rate all have equal importance.A common occurance in a newly established refuge is things like cyno-bacteria,diatoms,and hair algae,which if left alone will eventially disapere.It should be void of crabs,snails,or any other animals that will prey on the micro-life that is so important.Routine maintance is still a must in the form of occasional stiring of the top of the sand with a stick to release un-used detritus[once or twice every few months]a light can be incorperated to grow macro-algae for the purpose of phosphate reduction,via cultivation.Now for the disadvantages.Eventually the bed will become exuasted,and should be changed at about a forth a year or so depending on the bio-load.Mud based substrates will exuast much faster.A bare sump on the other hand requires much more maintance,to remove detritus,because of the lack of sand dweling creatures that feed on detritus.
Wouldn't micro-stars or snails that live in the sandbed also accomplish this?
What do you mean it will become exhausted? If it's just a sandbed, is it really releasing nutrients? I mean, as long as you're feeding the tank, wouldn't there always be enough to sustain what's living in there?
I'm just wondering because I'd like to setup a refugium, mainly because I want a Mandarin Dragonette, and want to keep up the pod population as much as possible.
ecobalance
lifetaper
no and no
snails or any kind of predator of algae or micro fauna is never a good thing to start a refugium out with,as they will deplete the micro life you;re trying to establish,and it isn,t the sand that becomes exushausted its the mud.Its abilities to soak up phosphates are limited and will start leaching back into the system over time
snails or any kind of predator of algae or micro fauna is never a good thing to start a refugium out with,as they will deplete the micro life you;re trying to establish,and it isn,t the sand that becomes exushausted its the mud.Its abilities to soak up phosphates are limited and will start leaching back into the system over time
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