Refugium Filtration Only

[VeganBrian]

I just kinda realized that im only running a Refugium for filtration. I decided to look up how many people do this and it seems rather rare. Ive had my tank running this way with LPS, SPS, Zoas, Display macro fuge, Fish and inverts with no real issues for about 2 months. I would really like to keep this Biological filtration only but Now im wondering if i should run a carbon/GFO mix in a reactor, as i was reading about people having issues later on. Anyone else running tanks Refugium only or similar? any input?

[Belac]

I have mechanical filtration as well as a macro/dsb refugium, skimmer and carbon. I have a GFO reactor built but I haven't been running it since I the V1 reactor started leaking and cakeing. I keep meaning to set that up.

The mechanical is mostly because I set the tank up that way. I keep trying to talk myself into kicking the HOB to the curb but so far I haven't gotten up the nerver to actully do it. It does get pretty dirty between the times I wash it out. It is probably the loudest thing in the whole tank.

[Tbone675]

it is not broke....i run all 3, and that works for me.

[Wizzy]

I have a few strands of Chaeto (just recently added for fun) in my Nanocube 12 Display and the three sponges (main filtration besides LR and Hitchhikers) that came with it in the back.

 

I have everything from NPS-SPS and only do WC's every 2-4 weeks (I've gone months).

 

I believe that Biological Filtration (Rocks, MacroAlgaes, and various hitchhikers) are very good at maintaining a stable and healthy aquarium. It just takes longer to establish then popping in a skimmer and a couple of reactors and isn't as easy to "dial in".

 

HTH- Wizzy

 

P.S. I don't want anyone to think that I'm bashing Mechanical/Chemical filtration. It's a different approach to the hobby and just isn't my preferred method.

[jedimasterben]

I went from mostly LPS to super SPS recently. I am running a 'natural' tank. No skimmer, no mechanical media. Just macros, an algae scrubber, carbon, and Purigen.

[M@!]

I'm running only a skimmer and use my sump as a settling tank. I find it easier to just suck out the junk before it has a chance to hit the nitrogen cycle. I do two small water changes a week. 20L, 20L sump Mixed reef with RBTA, Acans, Zoas, Rics, Crocea and SPS.

 

My tank was running flawless until I had the brilliant idea to add a sun coral and over feed it. fighting a little bit of a PO4 issues now. Maybe if I had more bio-filter it would have sucked up my over feeding!

 

Hopefully this thread turns into a nice discussion of the different ways to keep a reef tank. Instead of my way is the only way.

[VeganBrian]

wow,ok, I guess im not really the only one running a refugium only then, so far the polls look ever between refugium only and running everything.

 

So i guess we will just see how this goes for me as im seeing that its not the worst idea. lol

[kveekx]

I only have Cheato, and carbon right now but on the tank Im building I plan on a skimmer, carbon, gfo, and cheato because I want to be sps dominant but if your fuge only is why even bother on a skimmer or anything else!

[gonzalez78]

I run refugium with skimmer only but I'm planning on removing my skimmer and adding a turf scrubber to my 40 Breeder with 20 long sump. Have some chaetomorpha and 7 mangroves also.

[jlbzixxer]

i am over-skimming with bio pellets , i have being debating on setting up 30g

a refugium for my 75g and run the skimmer a lot less.

but my tank has being running fine for several months so i dont

want to change anything yet

[jedimasterben]

I decided that I pretty much hate doing water changes, so I run carbon/GFO, a skimmer, and have a refugium with chaeto. The most I've done recently is to siphon the sand bed, filter all the crap out, and then put the water back in the tank.

This man's got it.

[VeganBrian]

lol, Well ill probably be getting a GFO/Carbon reactor in the future.

[Belac]

lol, Well ill probably be getting a GFO/Carbon reactor in the future.

They are suprisingly easy to build if you want to save some money. I couldn't swallow the price of the prebuilts at the local stores.

[VeganBrian]

They are suprisingly easy to build if you want to save some money. I couldn't swallow the price of the prebuilts at the local stores.

 

 

Is there any videos on how to build one or anything? Im very interested since im broke lol.

[Belac]

I basicly looked at a picture of a reactor and just built what I saw. I do that a lot, saves lots of money.

I am sure there are videos, but the first two I found were not well done though. :/ I can go thumb around a bit if you want me to.

 

Or I could send you pictures of mine. Its just an old vac tube, some rigid airline tubeing, a fish food container, sponge, two bottle bottoms, and glue. I keep putting of installing it becuase I really need to re-arange the sump.

[VeganBrian]

Sounds awesome, Id love to see pictures. I love building things so i could see that being a fun little project.

[JamesHL88]

Google gatorade bottle reactor

[Belac]

I will try and get some pictures of it tonight and PM them to you. The gatorade reactors make me cringe...

[Fish_Bagger]

We have a 30G IM at the shop that all we have for filtration is 45 pound of live rock and the stock sponges. We let it run for 4-5 months with out fish. Now at well over a year old we have 4 fish, 8 shrimp and it is busting at the seams with corals. It is SUPER stable, if we have any coral doing bad we always throw it in this tank and the coral bounces back. It has started to grow some macro style algae in the back on its own with no light, we just let it grow unless it blocks water passages.

 

Crazy thing is we do VERY little maintenance to it. We do a 4.4G water change with Nutri-Sea water every 2 months, wash the filters out once a month and, feed every other day and dose once a week.

 

We have set up and maintained tons of tanks and it still blows our minds on how well this tank does with so little up keep.

 

I am actually working on a 38G IM for my house and I am going to shoot for the same results with the same setup.

[gonzalez78]

I will try and get some pictures of it tonight and PM them to you. The gatorade reactors make me cringe...

think there is any way you can shoot me those pics also? thanks

[loyalhero90]

I know I'm late but I too only have a refugium. I just have a ton of macros, seagrass, mangroves and DSB. Everything has been doing well for many months right now even without water changes.

[Subsea]

Vegan,

Your options on the poll does not include Jaubert Plenumn in display tank. It has been set up for11 years. In my 30 gallon refugium I use Eco system mud filter with macro refugium. Activated carbon 24/7 I use phoshate resin when required. I do not test for phosphate but let cynobacteria as a bioindicator do my testing. At that time, I perform nutrient export of cyno mat.

Patrick

[ESJ]

I'm in the planning stages of a 36 gallon and I'm having a really hard time figuring out if I should set up a refugium. I would like to hear why people run GFO and a refugium. Don't they do the same thing?

[Subsea]

Refugiums process nutrients and feed the tank. GFO removes organic phosphate. I see little comparison.

 

For my refugium, I use an ecosystem mud/macro filter. Display tank water enters first chamber of bio balls which aid in gas exchange. Considering carbon dioxide removal, I consider passive natural techniques as part of the method. With that said, this is a nutrient export mechanism. When bioballs break up detritus, it enters the second compartment and is assimilated by the ooze crawling with a biodiversity of worms. This mud filter is seven years old. It was originally purchased as Miracle Mud. Nutrient recycle and export happen simultaneous with free swimming pods and larvae from worm mass being pumped into the display tank as live food. On a manual basis, nutrient export happens with macro algae harvesting.

 

Let us talk about utilitarian macro. I will pick Caulerpa Prolifera. I have dehydrated it and eaten it as a sea veggie snack, that is nutrient export. I have composted tomato plants with it, that is nutrient export. I have feed fish in my display tans, that is nutrient recycling . Fast growing Caulerpae will uptake 20 molecules of nitrogen for every molecule of organic phosphate. Macro consumes carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen. It consumes ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at the same time. It consumes heavy metals including organic phosphate, copper and iron.

 

I think that a refugium does more than GFO.

Patrick

[metrokat]

I'm in the planning stages of a 36 gallon and I'm having a really hard time figuring out if I should set up a refugium. I would like to hear why people run GFO and a refugium. Don't they do the same thing?

For my personal choice, I have both a fuge and a GFO reactor. I feed heavy, very heavy and use the GFO to keep phosphates low so that my SPS can have beautiful color. It had browned out about a year ago. At that time I did not have a sump either, and took my skimmer off line, so the organics built up.

 

The macros I have are abundant so they probably enjoy the nutrients that the reactor fails to process. I use both a fuge and the GFO because having cyano or other visible excess nutrient issues is not desirable to me. I have a display tank, and I want it to look like a display.