HOB Refugium vs HOB Skimmer for 20 gallon AIO

[Dave J]

Hello fellow nano-reefers,

 

I just consolidated two nano tanks into one IM Nuvo 20 and am considering adding an AquaMaxx HOB addition.

 

What do you feel would be more beneficial - something like the AquaMaxx HOB-1.5 skimmer or the HOB-R refugium, and why?

 

Tank is stocked with a pair of clowns, one small Pajama Cardinalfish, one Azure damsel plus a variety of easy soft and LPS corals (GSP, Xenia, Kenya Trees, Duncan, Toadstool).  I plan on doing weekly 5 gallon (25%) water changes.

 

Thanks in advance!!

[jservedio]

For me? Neither! 25% water changes (actually more once you account for the fact that rock takes up a bunch of volume) is more than enough to keep a 20g AIOs nutrients perfectly in check, especially since you've got lots of soft and LPS corals that are going to love the extra Dissolved Organic Matter. Once the tank matures, you likely will want to even cut back on water changes more. With the AIO, you've got room for some floss to pull out any big crap and if you really need it you can run some chemical media in a bag.

 

Why ruin the sleekness of an AIO by hanging a bunch of crap off the back that you don't even need?

[Clown79]

For me, i use neither.

 

I do small waterchanges every week. 10-15% and still struggle keeping nutrient levels in my tank. 

[Dave J]

9 hours ago, jservedio said:

For me? Neither! 25% water changes (actually more once you account for the fact that rock takes up a bunch of volume) is more than enough to keep a 20g AIOs nutrients perfectly in check, especially since you've got lots of soft and LPS corals that are going to love the extra Dissolved Organic Matter. Once the tank matures, you likely will want to even cut back on water changes more. With the AIO, you've got room for some floss to pull out any big crap and if you really need it you can run some chemical media in a bag.

 

Why ruin the sleekness of an AIO by hanging a bunch of crap off the back that you don't even need?

Increased water volume?

Increased oxygen = more stable pH?

Increased pod breeding area?

 

[jservedio]

1 hour ago, Dave J said:

Increased water volume?

Increased oxygen = more stable pH?

Increased pod breeding area?

 

The volume is negligible at under 3 gallons, so that's not really a factor.

 

Are you currently having pH issues that you need to fix? As long as you have a stable, reasonable alkalinity, your pH will fine unless you have some external factor due to things like your home's construction or a really nasty bacterial bloom.

 

As for pods, you don't need a fuge to increase their population - you can make a pod hotel DIY or buy one to fit in the back chamber. You already have a predator free area back there.

 

If you really want the equipment because you like playing with gear, go for it. But, it's definitely not something that you need. Keep in mind, if you already have nutrients under control, they may actually hurt your tank by dropping nutrients too far, opening you up to things like dinoflagellates or chrysophytes.

[grinder143]

After displacement of rock , I would imagine the 3 gallons is approximately an increase in volume by 20 % . Is it needed that is debatable. I can tell you when I started keeping saltwater tanks in 1983 we were not really using either and were only having limited success. Take this with a grain of salt as many other factors effect our ability to keep marine life in these small closed environment.