HOB Refugiums Worth The Money?

[TheFragger]

I plan on having a 20 gallon long with an AC 110 with an InTank mod with the Tunze 9002. It will probably just be a mixed reef with a Nem and 2 Clownfish + A Pistol Shrimp And A Goby.

Ok back to the question, is it really worth to add a HOB fuge? I know it adds a TON of diversity and adds a place for Pods but does that really justify the price? I was looking at the CPR AquaFuge 2 Small, I was wondering if it is enough for a 20 Long as I stated above. It doesn't come with a light so what fixture would you recommend? ( The CPR fixture is highly overpriced IMO) And are there any DIY solutions? Hang on would be preferred, as most of you know a 20 gallon long is pretty small.

Thanks for reading!!!!!

[Go Tigers!]

Have you thought about a small in tank fuge ? There small and cheap some have pumps some don't throw some cheato in there and let it roll .

[spazizz]

You are better off doing a sump. Ive done HOB fuge many times and wished i had sump every time. Myabe you can just grow some macro algae in your display. Id say the CPRs are worth it because they do what they are made to do. But they are not worth it because they are a pain and a eye sore. Not as practical. They get the job done.

[Subsea]

Why does a HOB refugium have to be photosyntic? Fill your AC 110 with rock rubble. It will grow abundant pods. The rock rubble is the most efficient nitrification and denitrification media that I tested for three months. Simple remove everything but the sponge.

Patrick

[SantaMonica]

True it does not have to have macro. Could be completely blacked out.

[el_ote]

I picked up the ebay version of the large aquafuge. I use it for pods for my Mandy. as soon as I started getting chaeto growth, it really helped with nuisance algae in the tank! I built a light outta lowes 4gang electrical box and a lamp socket. it is not the prettiest but I love it.

edit: spelling

[frankdontsurf]

I run my marinland 350 with just the bio wheels and filled with rubble.

 

There's an ac70 in the classifieds for $20 I think. Macros kinda suxk unless they are dumped with space to grow.

[swduncan]

True it does not have to have macro. Could be completely blacked out.

So what would be the difference between a blacked out HOB and a canister filter? Just curious, as the canisters often seemed to be thought of as causing problems.

[drfu]

So what would be the difference between a blacked out HOB and a canister filter? Just curious, as the canisters often seemed to be thought of as causing problems.

 

On my 15 gallon column i run a fluval 106 w/ ff, cpe & purigen, zero issues if you clean it once a week when doing weekly wc. I am planning using rubble rock and placing it on the side where the sponge holders were as i use the stock baskets to hold the media.

 

I also had an extra ac20 which i bought the InTank media basket & 10w submersible light for to grow chaeto, have a $7 walmart timer doing reverse lighting cycle, algae grows great!

[ETucc]

drfu, what kind of Filter Floss do you use? I'm wondering why your sump is so visibly dirty so often.

[drfu]

I buy a bag of quilt batting from Walmart for $10, its 110"*110" . Its cheap and catches everything, on the inflow side of it its gets a bit green and i don't want it to create any phosphorus/nitrate issues so i just replace it

[Tamberav]

Shouldn't seachem matrix be better than rock rubble? Provided it is cleaned regularly. It is only $10-$15 a bottle.

[drfu]

I would think anything natural would be better imo but i could be wrong

[Subsea]

I would think anything natural would be better imo but i could be wrong

 

 

Sustainable use of resources are models of balanced natural systems. Instead of a product change to export nutrients from a reef tank, the use of multiple nutrient pathways such as in live rock, live sand and all photosynthetic organisms such as corals and macros. Nutrient recycling is the model of these related Eco systems of biology and chemistry that support estuaries and reefs around the world, as well as in our captive reef tanks.

 

Amphipods are the perfect control parameter to consume excess food and nutrients added to grow our reef pretties. Considering their position in the food chain, not only do they provide fish with a high protein live diet but amphipods larvae provide a high protein diet to hungry filter feeders including corals.

Laissez a bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

[Tamberav]

I would think anything natural would be better imo but i could be wrong

 

Well my thought is it is a lot more porous so more bacteria could live on it.

[drfu]

Well my thought is it is a lot more porous so more bacteria could live on it.

 

Because I'm pretty new on the salty side someone else should answer that but from what i have read its your live sand & rock that does all of that. Adding more rock would just help with more filtration. I know with my fw set ups media is the most important for the biological filter but i don't think this is the case with salt?

[jedimasterben]

Because I'm pretty new on the salty side someone else should answer that but from what i have read its your live sand & rock that does all of that. Adding more rock would just help with more filtration. I know with my fw set ups media is the most important for the biological filter but i don't think this is the case with salt?

Freshwater setups behave identically to saltwater ones. Bacterial films will grow on any and all surfaces. I've run several freshwater tanks (both planted and not) using zero biomedia, some with rather large bioloads, with zero issues. The sand will contain all the bacteria that the system needs to function properly. In saltwater, there are more denitrifying bacteria that live under nitrifying ones (and usually deeper in pores such as in rock, etc), but most tanks do not have enough denitrification to keep up with nutrient import anyway.

[TJ_Burton]

http://www.bigalspets.com/hang-on-holding-breeding-box-large.html

 

Cheap hang on fuge

There is a write up in the reviews on the site that shows how to turn it into an economy hang on fuge.