refugiums

[jlowden]

hi new to site and the hobby,however here goes .i,m currently running myjuwel 180 tank with live rock and clean up crew,also a external eheim with ehubstrate.at present nitrate is low between 5-10 ppm but would like to get a hang on refugium as i,ve read this would reduce nitrate altogether ? is this correct and what would be the best thing to put in it ..lots of books go on about mineral mud and some say calerpa and sand and rock help i,m confused and getting greyer by the water change...

[Kev]

Hi there. Welcome to the forum. Never had a refugium so cannot answer your question.

However, what about popping some pictures into the thread for us all to enjoy.:D

I am sure someone here will be able to advise you.

[flying Jock]

Hi

I would ditch the biological filtration in your cannister and change it for chemical such as a phosphate remover.

Your biological filtration in your cannister will be casuing more nitrates for your LR so by ditching it you may see the come down even further.

If you intend to go with a refugum (look great in there own right) you can put a small DSB in it with some caulerpas and light it 24/7.

Your DSB will help keep nitrates very low and by harvesting your caulerpa you will pull out phosphates and nitrates as well.

FJ:)

[Reefer]

Hi and welcome.
Never seen these hang on refugiums, anyone got any pics ?

[Tangman]

Hi Chris at Marine tech had one on his show tank the last time i was in there, he might be able to throw some light on what your after with a piccy of it. HTH. Eric :)

[Zeus]

Hi,

I have been looking at adding a 'fuge as well and have done some digging on the hang-on systems. Cleartides do 2 sizes and they are reasonably priced. But I have only seen small pics of these.

There's also the Ecosystem ones but IMHO, for what you get they are way, way, way overpriced.

Campbell

[Tangman]

Hi Campbell. I agree with you about the ecosystem ones they are way over priced. The cleartide ones are not bad i think they run about £130 if i remember right. I think Interfish at Ossett have them on there shelves but i dont know any prices maybe a PM to Roy would be a good idea. I have made my own i had a spare acrylic tank and drilled some holes in for return pipes and flow pipes and sat it on the back of my 7 footer, and it works a treat full of pods etc and Chaeto as well. HTH. Eric

[Zeus]

Hi Eric, I also tried this and got myself a nice sized tank, got a bookshelf from Ikea that all fitted perfectly where I wanted it to go.

Trouble was, despite me specifically asking for an acrylic tank so I could drill it myself, my supplier sent a glass tank.

So the 'fuge still isn't done.

Hehe!!! Maybe one day.

By the way, where did you get the acrylic tank?

Campbell

[Tangman]

Hi Campbell. Its not actually a tank it was an Amirackle trickle filter that i have had for years so it got used for this. You sometimes can pick these up on ebay i you keep looking. HTH. Eric

[jlowden]

thankyou all for your advice ,,wil slowly remove the cannister filter media now i know that,,,will look into the cleartide option aswell with the d.s.b...that seems a really good price and i,m off to visit hull and marine tech as its not that far away over the humber bridge thanks again all...

[callum_parsons]

would it be possiable to use an external filter as a refugium?

[Tangman]

Hi Calum i dont think it would work as if you had algae it would block up the pump, but you could fill the external up with live rock rubble so that would work as a refugium in a sort of way. Eric

[callum_parsons]

i thought it may work just to kepp copepods and other small food items in