Refugium Set Up

Mark092

New Member
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Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Looking to set up my first refugium in the coming weeks. I have a 60 gallon cube mixed reef, and found a 90 gallon 48"x24x18 tank with stand on kijiji that I'm looking to buy. Can anyone comment if this will make a good sized fuge? From what I have read, the more water volume, the better. Looking to have the fuge separate on a stand and have it gravity feed into my sump, with my return pump t'd off with a manifold for reactors, etc., feeding the fuge.
Any comments would be appreciated!

Also, looking at putting chaeto in the fuge, but wondering if a 90 gallon tank full of chaeto is just too much for my needs. What other things would you fill it with?
 

nathan

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Mar 27, 2016
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sarnia
I'm interested in hearing some answers on this... sounds like a very large fuge.
 

Kman

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Apr 15, 2014
Location
KW
It really comes down to personal preference in the end. A 90 gallon works. (I use a 110 long) I like a big fuge as they are very productive for filtration and production of your food web and a larger tank gives you space for everything. Check out cryptic zone filtration when setting up. The darker section of the cryptic zone foster all sorts of fauna that help you filter your water.
 

Nick James

Active Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Location
Niagara
My new sump plan includes a 24x24 refugium area. I was thinking of using Walt Smiths Fiji Mud as a substrate. Does anyone have experience with this Mud? It's basically harvested mud from the ocean floor. I bought it would be a good substrate for growing plants, and it claims to release beneficial nutrients into the water.

Not to be confused with Miracle Mud which comes dry and is not supposed to be 100% ocean harvested material.
 

Mark092

New Member
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Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Interested in this as well! I decided to go with a 40 breeder. I was thinking of going bare bottom but interested what others have to say about the Fiji mud. Looking at using some live rock and just some chaeto with maybe some blue hypnea and a couple mangroves. Looking at just getting some cheap grow bulbs.
 

Nick James

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Jan 11, 2016
Location
Niagara
Nope, would have to find it in Canada. Gracilliaria I think is common enough. The other one would probably be trickier to find. If wholesalers can get in fish and corals they would probably be able to get this too...
 

Kman

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Apr 15, 2014
Location
KW
For the mud are you going to fill the sump with it or just do a portion? If just a portion you will need to find a way to keep it in one place. Like pieces of glass or use a plastic container. Keep in mind you have to replace a portion of the mud yearly as it becomes exhausted and can turn into a nutrient sink. So you need a way that you can easily access and change a portion of it. The plastic container is a good option.

If you want to try something different you should try a heated bottom. You can find heating cabling that goes under the substrate that has a temp controller. This will help maintain your tank temp and provided a heated bottom for faster plant growth. The heat stimulates growth in mangrove quite nicely as it mimics a mangrove biotope that is getting baked in the sun. The heated bottom also speeds up crustacean growth speeding up and making the food web more productive.
 

Mark092

New Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Thats an interesting concept @Kman. Did a quick search for heated bottom refugiums and there wasn't much info available.
Would this sort of heating cable work? http://www.homedepot.com/p/M-D-Buil...PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-204814434-_-204814419-_-N

Do you think that would be controllable with an Apex?
I'm looking at ordering a 40 breeder from Miracles, but don't want to dish out $400+ for 3/8" glass. They offer a standard 6mm glass 40 breeder but they said I will likely have to replace the cross brace and trim around the top in 6-8 years. Is 6mm glass anything to be concerned with?

Also, should I remove GFO from my system after adding the fuge?
 

EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
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Mar 2, 2014
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Kitchener, Ontario
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www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
There are specifically designed under Gravel/tank heaters. Mostly geared towards fw planted tanks.

I wouldn't remove the gfo until you know your fuge is productive enough to keep up with your systems demands on po4 and no3

As for the tank. Why do you need 3/8 glass? And why do you need to replace the top trim? These tanks are designed to hold water and fish. Whats the difference using it for a fuge? Makes no sense to me.

I use a standard 90gal as my sump/fuge with 12 mangroves growing very well in it

Sony Xperia Z3
 

Mark092

New Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Thanks for the info!
According to Miracles, raising/lowering the water level during feed mode each day will wear on the tank and cause the cross brace to stretch by the 6-8 year mark. I think I will go the cheaper route and just order the standard 6mm.
 

Kman

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Apr 15, 2014
Location
KW
The under substrate is a old school concept and was before forums were popular so it will be hard to find information. I still have my cable and when i find it i will let you know the brand. I believe Julian Sprung did a article on it years ago.

I think they are just trying to cover their butt if something goes wrong. I read somewhere the regular changing levels of water (Say in a serge zone tank with ebb and flow water) puts stress that is not evenly distributed and the constant uneven changing stress is bad for the joints. With that being said not sure I believe that and I myself have never seen any issue.

Some people have had issues with wave action in tanks with heavy wave and had the seams split. But really that could have been caused by poor quality tank build or old tanks.
 

Kman

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Apr 15, 2014
Location
KW
So mine is the Hydor Substrate Heating Cable. Amazon still sells them. Tunze also makes them. Most are for planted tanks but can be used in salt.
 
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Mark092

New Member
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Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Thanks again for the info. I was looking at the Hydor Kable yesterday. Any idea which one I would need, the 50 watt or the 100, for a 40 gallon fuge? Not sure I want to add any substrate to the tank as of yet, but will definitely keep this idea in mind.
 

new2reefing

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Location
Ottawa
Hey,

If you are able to have your fuge sit slightly higher then your display the best setup IMO is to have your sump T off to your display, and to your fuge at a low flow. Then have the fuge gravity feed to your display.
This way the microfauna being produced drop right into your display rather then take a pump ride.
The fuge would be fed from the little remaining particulate left from your sump, and any PO4 and nitrate.
The low flow allows for maximum time contact with the plants and provides the perfect breading ground for pods.
You could also employ cryptic zones or DSB if you'd like with this set up.
I currently have mine this way, and it works awesome.
 

new2reefing

Member
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Jun 2, 2016
Location
Ottawa
Interested in this as well! I decided to go with a 40 breeder. I was thinking of going bare bottom but interested what others have to say about the Fiji mud. Looking at using some live rock and just some chaeto with maybe some blue hypnea and a couple mangroves. Looking at just getting some cheap grow bulbs.
If your getting blue hypnea look into slightly better lights. Apparently it'll lose its blue under $hitty lights. I have 2 of them and there starting to loose colour, so I'm going to try some Chinese E27 LED's
 

Mark092

New Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Location
Sarnia
Good to know, thanks for the advice. Unfortunately having the fuge sit above the display is not an option for me, so I will feed the fuge off my return and have it drain back to the sump. Thinking of doing a reverse durso for the drain to the sump, does it matter a whole lot if it drains to the return section, or is the skimmer section fine too? (skimmer section would make for an easier plumbing configuration).
Looking at ordering a couple RapidLED goosenecks from BRS today, and have been looking at these bulbs. Anyone have any alternative suggestions for lighting? Would one each of the blue/red bulbs and then one of the full spectrum bulbs make sense? Or should I do two of the same?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179C60DW?psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-...1&sr=1-51-spons&keywords=refugium+light&psc=1
 

new2reefing

Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Location
Ottawa
If you are looking to grow pods at all I probably would not go with your fuge draining to the skimmer section... don't know how well they would do on that trip lol.
I'll leave the more experienced ones to field that one.
 
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