refugium or good skimmer?

[tdmrider]

hi all, here i am again.

now need to seek opinion fr all expert, experience reefers..

IF, assuming u hav oni 2 situations ahead:

1) to remain your refugium n use a so-so skimmer or

2) to remove your refugium n go 4 a high end skimmer like beckett.

the reason y i'm seeking opinions is b cos my sump is a relatively small one. i can hav only 1 of the above situations, as i would love to land that beckett into my sump.

thanks 4 all comments.

[Eric]

hi all, here i am again.

now need to seek opinion fr all expert, experience reefers..

IF, assuming u hav oni 2 situations ahead:

1) to remain your refugium n use a so-so skimmer or

2) to remove your refugium n go 4 a high end skimmer like beckett.

the reason y i'm seeking opinions is b cos my sump is a relatively small one. i can hav only 1 of the above situations, as i would love to land that beckett into my sump.

thanks 4 all comments.

Keep the refugium & custom make a external beckett.

Eric

[tdmrider]

Keep the refugium & custom make a external beckett.

Eric

sad 2 say, i cant even place it outside the sump.

my PC chiller is too big, take up a lot of space. cant shift out also, commanding officer will complain of the heat(somemore under this kind of weather).

it can b placed in my sump, only that i remove my refugium.

[Eric]

sad 2 say, i cant even place it outside the sump.

my PC chiller is too big, take up a lot of space. cant shift out also, commanding officer will complain of the heat(somemore under this kind of weather).

it can b placed in my sump, only that i remove my refugium.

K, 2nd option...........put ur skimmer on top of the chiller or put the skimmer inside ur refugium compartment and use another small cube tank with a drilled hole for your refugium & place it on top of ur chiller. Keep it neat and you can even rear some seahorses inside it.

Eric

[tdmrider]

this is a good idea but involve more work. moreover, i might face some problems when servicing the chiller.

i cant place the skimmer on top the chiller as the baby is gonna b 24inch tall!

if i go for a aqua EV then i no need to remove my refugium as aqua EV is rather short.

anyway, thanks bro...quite headache here..

[blueheaven]

forget the skimmer and go for a bigger refugium with a cryptic zone

[Tigger]

get both!

[jesperlam]

If i didnt remember wrongly, I remember seeing one of the post lately by Joe_P bro that he bro is coming up with custom-made in sump beckett...i might be wrong...maybe u check with him?

If can custom make to suit in ur tank...think will save u lost of trouble

[LinkinPark]

IMHO, I personally find refugium diff to comprehend .

The working is: macro consume nutrient = nutrient export = nutrient-free water

But when you get nutrient-poor water, the macro has nothing to consume and die off, it will in turn pollute the water.

AND, no matter how much I plead with the macro not to migrate to the main tank, it insists and populate the main tank.

That is why I tear down the refugium and it solve my algae problem.

I would prefer a very powDerful skimmer, use of kontraphos Koncentrat & carbon .

[riot]

Agree with Linkin Park. I were you, I would junk the fuge and opt for a quality skimmer. Beckett vs non beckett up to your preference.

[Achilles Tang]

I agree with Linkin Park.

IMO, the refugium in practical usage is of some risk that has proven itself to come true over time.

You CANNOT guarantee that whatever algae grows in there will not migrate to your main tank and WILL NOT crash.

I rather trust a true and tested exporter like a good skimmer rather than trust a 'temporary sponge' that will 'leach' back whatever it has absorbed when it decides to 'go up the lorry'. Sometimes it will add even more bad stuff like caulerpin.

Adding nutrients like iron into the water may fuel unwanted algae to grow.

Its quite hard to maintain a perfect refugium long-term IMO. Maybe if you choose a 'perfect' macroalgae species like chaetomorpha that won't crash or have toxins like caulerpa.

[AlfaRomeo]

Would removing the algae and sandbed in the fuge and replacing them with a whole stack of cured LR make sense? Can add in biological filtration and provide for a place for pods to thrive without predation?

[tdmrider]

thanks to all highly sought comments and opinions.

i'm facing problems with my refugium and that makes me want to remove it and replace with a beckett. only my refugium compartment can house a beckett.

well, it seems like 90% are for a good skimmer over refugium. guess i will tear it down soon.

thanks to all the valuable comments.