Trying to decide if i should use my cpr bak pak skimmer on my 12 gallon .. or set up the ac700 refugium mod i have seen people do on ther nanos i would love to do both but with the skimmer on the back i have no room for the ac700 i thought about doing a submersible light in the second chamber but worried about the light heatin up the tank.. what choice would be best skimmer with refugium in second chamber with submersibel light or just do the ac700 refugium mod.. thank you

get a skimmer if you plan on having a heavier load.

I think that you should have both it is essential for a reef system. But go for a skimmer first!

thats what i have been thinking i want to try both.. some say you dont need to but i dont think it will hurt to try to find a way to set up both

I would not do the submersible light. I have tried one of those in my 29G tank and it made the temp go up. I took it out. I was running 1 to 2 degrees warmer with the light.

Your right that heavy skimming will reduce the tiny critters, but the refuge is mostly for growing macro algae to remove nitrates and phosphates. You can remove the nitrates and phosphates with the water changes and running some chemicals like purigen and chemi-pure.

My 29G is setup to have both. I have the skimmer before the refuge. I believe in skimming to reduce the excess waste. I am looking at getting a bigger skimmer than I have now to remove more.

so in my case since space is HUGE issue run the skimmer and then run some chemi-pure to take place of the refugium.

You could get a skimmer and then run a soapdish fuge in your display tank.

its only a 12 gallon.. rather keep it hob or the second chamber im still going to try a way to do both ill let you guys know how it goes.. where do i do a tank thread on here?

Your on the right track just have to figure out what is going to be easiest for you. A skimmer is going to be finicky and needs to be cleaned and emptied a lot. I have my skimmer cup modified so that it drains into a plastic jug. Without the drain it would fill up everyday. I am also considering one of the CPR hang on back skimmers. The gunk I get out of the skimmer though tells me its doing something good because all that gooey waste and brown water is coming from somewhere.

From what you see in the forums refuges are popular, but I think as a secondary consideration. If you have the room for it and can fit something later and want to have one then add it on. Build out your primary filtration first then see if you want to go with the refuge.

There is just as many ways and opinions on how to do it. Do some searches for people with successful tanks in your size and see what they have done.

thank you.. i came from a 90 gallon tank where room wasnt a concern like now.. ill deff look in the member tanks to see what otheres have done.. on reef central there is a guy with a 12 gallon nano and he has nothing in his chambers just runs the mj900 and his tank is pretty nice.. makes me wonder if all the equipment helps on such small tanks....

refuge

unfortunately I can not give any more info or else my post will be deleted

what do you mean?

I personally like refuges due to the fact that they take out inorganics and not skimate/food in which coral's eat


due to having a smaller tank you can easily up the water changes to 20% and increase your clean up crew population

down side is you can't cram a bunch of fish in a small spot thou

thats why im so towrn what to do... i know im going to kee corals and i never thought about that that the skimmer can tank out food that the would use but im worries also of over feedin since its such a small tank and that the skimmer would help if i do... think im going to run the skimmer for a lil bit once the tank cycles full see if it takes anything out.. and in my secon chamber put some cheto with a light.

if you have a fuge and a skimmer, maybe you could run the skimmer for an hour or two each day instead of full-time, which would leave food in the tank (more) and still pull out some of stuff you want out (less).

Is there anyway to have a refuge and a skimmer in a 24 nano? I have the center ready for the refuge just not sure if I can put a skimmer somewhere.