BioCube REfuge and Canister filter

[Whisenhunt]

recently picked up a nice canister filter for cheap couldn't pass it up , Now my question is can I turn the back of my biocube into a large refugium taking out all the media just running rubble rock or mud and a lot of chato and other moss. Then running all my media in my canister filter? I know I need to stay up on changing and cleaning my canister out to make it not a nitrate magnate 

it is a 32 gallon led biocube set up with coral and fish

thanks so much for your input 

[Subsea]

I have many canisters on many differrent reef tanks.  They work perfectly.  With respect to nitrate factories, I find that amusing.  To promote growth in all of my reef tanks, I add ammonia as a source of nitrogen.

 

 

[seabass]

Welcome to Nano-Reef.com.

 

That should work.  However, for chaeto, you don't need rubble or mud.  It's easier to keep clean without either of them.

[Subsea]

Consider starting a journal for your tanks history.  It is never too late to start.

 

when you say refugium, as Seabass says, they can be designed for differrent purposes.  A chaeto refugium would support pods and allow you to perform nutrient export.  I like mud in my refugiums because of the differrent size live food produced.  

[Whisenhunt]

what kind of light would I need for chaeto moss well a cheap little non fish LED light work ? Reef mud in the back of the bio cube sounds like a pain to clean ! 

[Subsea]

Who cleans a refugium?

 

@Whisenhunt   

My 30G EcoSystem mud/macro refugium has been set up 25 years.  No cleaning it, ever.

[seabass]

@Subsea, you bring an unique and very valuable perspective to this forum.  I really like the natural approach that you take.  However, I feel that some of the methods that you use are only possible because you have truly mature tanks.  Also, I give you much credit, as a reefer, for your skills which you have acquired over the years.

 

Still, I feel that some of the methods, which you successfully employ, might not be easily duplicated by beginners with new setups.  These very sterile environments are often much more fragile (and susceptible to the nasties) than a mature tank with lots of biodiversity.  Even your new tanks often enjoy rocks, macros, or other contributions from one of your existing tanks.

 

Just as an example: dosing ammonia into a tank with livestock, as a source of nitrogen, isn't something that new reefers should typically consider.  In addition, these tanks can often produce excess nutrients (including nitrate) which have to be dealt with in some fashion.

 

I enjoy reading about your setups.  And I feel that we as reefers would benefit from utilizing many of the methods that you have mastered over the decades.  However, I admit that I sometimes get a little afraid that an inexperienced reefer might unsuccessfully try mimicking one part of your methods without having the supporting livestock (and/or equipment and knowledge) necessary to pull it off.

 

I know that you normally refer to the age of your tanks as a disclaimer.  However, I fear that it's possible to misinterpret that as something which should be done from the start (in order to achieve a mature tank, instead of it working because it's a mature tank with great biodiversity).

 

Anyway, I don't want you to misinterpret this as a slam against you.  I just feel that some of what you do should be looked at as what is possible down the road, as opposed to the path toward achieving a successful reef.

[NanoRox]

On ‎2‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 11:03 PM, Whisenhunt said:

recently picked up a nice canister filter for cheap couldn't pass it up , Now my question is can I turn the back of my biocube into a large refugium taking out all the media just running rubble rock or mud and a lot of chato and other moss. Then running all my media in my canister filter? I know I need to stay up on changing and cleaning my canister out to make it not a nitrate magnate 

it is a 32 gallon led biocube set up with coral and fish

thanks so much for your input 

I don't think there would be any intrinsic issue with the canister filter.   Another option, however, if you want to turn the second chamber into a refugium is to add your filtering media to chamber 1.  IMO all you need is filter floss and carbon.  I basically did something similar to my 14g nano...I added a chaeto reactor and just have floss and carbon in chamber 2.  Best thing I have ever done.  

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Duane Clark said:

Another option, however, if you want to turn the second chamber into a refugium is to add your filtering media to chamber 1.

I agree.  http://shop.mediabaskets.com/LED-BioCube-32_c152.htm

 

[Subsea]

4 hours ago, seabass said:

@Subsea, you bring an unique and very valuable perspective to this forum.  I really like the natural approach that you take.  However, I feel that some of the methods that you use are only possible because you have truly mature tanks.  Also, I give you much credit, as a reefer, for your skills which you have acquired over the years.

 

Still, I feel that some of the methods, which you successfully employ, might not be easily duplicated by beginners with new setups.  These very sterile environments are often much more fragile (and susceptible to the nasties) than a mature tank with lots of biodiversity.  Even your new tanks often enjoy rocks, macros, or other contributions from one of your existing tanks.

 

Just as an example: dosing ammonia into a tank with livestock, as a source of nitrogen, isn't something that new reefers should typically consider.  In addition, these tanks can often produce excess nutrients (including nitrate) which have to be dealt with in some fashion.

 

I enjoy reading about your setups.  And I feel that we as reefers would benefit from utilizing many of the methods that you have mastered over the decades.  However, I admit that I sometimes get a little afraid that an inexperienced reefer might unsuccessfully try mimicking one part of your methods without having the supporting livestock (and/or equipment and knowledge) necessary to pull it off.

 

I know that you normally refer to the age of your tanks as a disclaimer.  However, I fear that it's possible to misinterpret that as something which should be done from the start (in order to achieve a mature tank, instead of it working because it's a mature tank with great biodiversity).

 

Anyway, I don't want you to misinterpret this as a slam against you.  I just feel that some of what you do should be looked at as what is possible down the road, as opposed to the path toward achieving a successful reef.

Thank you for the insight.  I found myself on a beginners forum giving advice, which as you pointed out is easily misapplied.  

 

Because I see a tendency in this hobby in calling nutrients bad, I get concerned with this foundational thing and I respond, perhapes too passionately.  I, like you, wish everyone to be educated in maintaining reef tanks.  Perhapes sterile is good.  I never thought it was.

[seabass]

27 minutes ago, Subsea said:

Perhapes sterile is good.  I never thought it was.

I don't necessarily believe that sterile is good, but it does describe many of our systems at startup.  Especially with the trend to use only dry rock.  I feel that sterile often means more fragile, less stable, or more likely be be overcome by unwanted pests (like invasive algae, pests, dinos, cyano, etc), as there are no natural predators or competitors for the available organics and nutrients.

 

I feel that some nutrients are essential in maintaining a healthy reef.  However, in a newly setup, sterile tank, excessive nutrients (along with organics) often invite undesirable blooms.  These invaders often thrive when not held in check by other natural competitors.  And with the lack of beneficial life in these tanks, inorganic nutrients and organics often remain in the water column ready to be consumed by the next undesirable bloom.

 

One way that people restrict growth of these unwanted blooms, is to restrict nutrients.  Maybe this becomes too much of an obsession with us.  In fact, nutrient starvation can be an equally big problem.  Nah, I think we are on the same page regarding sterile systems.  Although I feel that can be a more challenging balancing act in a newly setup, "sterile" environment.