wouldnt a true refugium have to be above the tank??

[wrassehole]

the reason for this is so siphon can allow the refuge water to flow into the tank without having to go throw a pump, what happens to pods when the go through a pump? do they survive? if i had to go through a powerhead, im sure id be in about ten peices. i think my refugium will be above my tank, make sense?

Rodster

 

[randythereefer]

Thats how I have my refugium. Above my tank. I get a decent amount of pods flowing into the main tank this way.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

That is the optimum set-up for sure. My refugium is below tank and I'm sure some pods will make it through, dead or alive, and be food for the critters in the display. My main objective was increased water capacity, water flow, denitrification, and gas exchange. It's all good, eh?

 

[wrightme43]

My buddy Mitch has a cool refugeium above his tank. Pumps up to it on a timer, and then the water has lots of dwell time. Seems to work pretty well. Steve

 

[Curtswearing]

OK....I'm a complete dork. I actually put a filter sock over my return a while back to see how many pods made it through my pump. This was a couple of years back and I don't remember the numbers. However, I walked away from my experiment thinking, "I don't care if my fuge is above or below my tank".

Regardless....it is very important that you don't generalize this rule. At the time I think I had an el-cheapo RIO. What if I had a different pump at the time....maybe all of the pods would have died....or maybe more would have lived. Certain things like biology and chemistry are set in stone....other things like this are quite variable based on equipment and circumstance.

 

[dwall174]

Pumps up to it on a timer, and then the water has lots of dwell time.

Humm that gives me an idea :idea: My refugium gravity feeds into the main tank! However I like the idea of an extra pump & timer to help flush the pods into the overflow that goes to the main tank!

 

[ahenson]

I have 10g refuge slightly above my tank and love it. It's filled with chaeto. I feed DT to refuge and the amount of pods, shrimp etc. is incredible. Putting it above the tank lets you watch the critters fight and chase each other. I watch it a lot.

 

[NaH2O]

hehehe - Curt I remember when you did that.

The original design of my set-up was to have the refugium gravity feed into the main tank, but I changed my mind and now it gravity feeds into the second compartment of my sump. Part of the reason I changed my mind was an ease of maintenance issue.