MacnReef Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Does anyone out there know of anyone or know if it would be a good idea to make an AquaClear 500, into a refugium. Obviously I would take out all the media, just want to know if it would be big enough of a fuge for a 20H. The sump area would be 3.5" W x 10" L and a few inches high. Just a though! Link to comment
JPF Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Take a peek at the members reef section. Pics and everything! Link to comment
Inpha Posted January 29, 2003 Share Posted January 29, 2003 Correct me if i'm wrong... but isn't the flow all wrong in one of those... The current goes in than to the bottom and than up and out... wouldn't it be better... for the current simply to go over... hence the baffles in refugiums.... i think i just confused myself... and most likely all of you... oh well... Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Youve lost me! That is why I posted this thread because I want to make sure it will work before I go and spend the money. JPF, thanx, yeah I had seen that but could not find it again. I was searching for "Hagen Refugium" and nothing was coming up. I notice that he is using a 120 hagen and I would be using a 500 so the sump size is a lot bigger. Are refugiums that much more important? I thought refugiums were so that dietravores and other things could live in an area with no predators. In my nano, I don't think I have anything that eats that, although, I am kinda ignorant!X) Thanx again for the help! Link to comment
JoeyG Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 I think you can also grow macro Algea in a fuge that will help with your over all water quality. I plan on buying a mandarine goby soon after I get my fuge up. That fuge will help to replinish some of those little guys that a mandarin will feed on. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Well ofcourse you can grow macro-algaes but I grow it in my display tank. The main reason growing macro in refugiums in larger tanks is because of tangs and other munchers of caulerpa! In a refugium you can grow the caulerpa and put some trimmings in the tank to feed your fish! Not sure how the little bit of sand I can put in a hagen 500 would help! But if I get the right answer, I will do it! Link to comment
Inpha Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Hey, I was talking to dave last night... and he said that skilter 400's make great fuges... maybe try one of those? No comment on the mandarin.... Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Inpha, I tried a skilter in the past but not as a fuge and it puts way to many bubbles back into the tank! I guess I could turn off the skimmer, not sure maybe Dave will join this thread and give me some assistance! Link to comment
reefriot Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 the only thing that bothers me about it is that a true refugium wouldn't have so much flow thru it. but theres a few people here that use them and say they are doing great so if ya got a spare filter go for it!~ not sure if the hagens have a valve to slow down the flow but that would be nice huh? Link to comment
Inpha Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 I would assume that you would turn the skimmer off... If I talk to him I'll tell him to check this thread out... Link to comment
reefriot Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 you can turn off the skimmer. i gave a friend a skilter for his minibow along time ago and he hated the noise and the bubbles so he turns it off. actually he has kinda a fuge in it. he never put sand in there but has stuck macro i gave him in there and theres alos like 5 or six shrooms growing on the inside that musta been sucked up because he never put them in there. i think i would find a larger powerfilter that has a flow adjustment. i think the pengiuns and the emperor filters have a flow control Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 the hagen does have a flow control! Yippie! Damn it, I have another question, what is the smallest refuge to put on a 20H. I was planning on putting a 10g sump on it but because of the way I built my stand I can not fit a 10g sump. Would a 5g be big enough? The only thing is that the pump would have to be in the sump so therefore I would not have as much room. Link to comment
edying Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 MacnReef - Using an AC as a fuge works fine if you just want to have some LR in there (I have a mini on my 2.5 w/ LR and a 150 on my 29G w/ the same). If you want a sand bed and/or a place for caulerpa or other macros, it might be better to go with the CPR Aquafuge or the similar one from wetdryfilter.com (for a few $$ more). While the flow on the AC is adjustable, it doesn't slow down that much. Normally, the flow on the AC comes from the bottom of the media chamber and works up. If you get rid of the media strainer/bucket, it pretty much comes in from the side, but still relatively close to the bottom - not good for sand. -Ed Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 Ed, Thanx, that really helped. I guess I will continue to try to find a small over flow that can handle a large amount of water volume and a 5.5g tank to go under my cabinet! Link to comment
Inpha Posted January 30, 2003 Share Posted January 30, 2003 Thanks Edying... that's what I was trying to say before... without much success might I add.... btw... he is also right in saying that there is basically no flow control on one of those.... its like really strong... or really really strong..... Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 30, 2003 Author Share Posted January 30, 2003 I see! So, can anyone point me into the direction of a person that already uses a 5.5g AGA or similar for a refugium that has a pic or diagram! Link to comment
lizbeth Posted January 31, 2003 Share Posted January 31, 2003 Using a 5.5 for a sump/refuge on a 20 wouldn't work very well. It doesn't have enough space. If you can put a tank beside or behind and slightly above it would work great. There's a picture of the tank I built for a fuge for my 20 at the bottom of this thread http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...=&threadid=7876. Pump in gravity out, it works great. Link to comment
MacnReef Posted January 31, 2003 Author Share Posted January 31, 2003 Ok, but fuges are ugly and I don't know how my wife would like another tank setting beside my main tank. Looks like I will just order a new stand or build one and put a ten in it and use an overflow box! Or get a drilled 20. Link to comment
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