Setting up a Refugium

[Guest]

Hi

Anyone can advice how to set up a refugium? Things like what to look out for, like the flow rate, the lighting? What type of send to use? Saw mud product for refugium, very expensive, can do without?

thanks

[Kelmen]

Miracle Mud is not necessity.

Depend on what you intend for your refugium.

Ppl who intend as temp resting place for their pets, like when newly stock, just to get settle to new environment, usually not much needed. LR would be sufficient.

Ppl who intend it as nutrient export, some do it like DSB style, so should follow DSB guildelines.

Or just growing macroalgae, normal light like NO about 30+W would be good enough.

It depend on what you intend it for.

[Guest]

if i'm to use it to reduce NO3 bulid up, do i need DSB or macroalgae?

does macroalgae need to have sand to grow?

what are DSB guildelines like? where to find them?

[Kelmen]

Bro, I believe you are really new into this hobby.

If so, then I would suggest skip the DSB part, as its not a "guarantee" working sys.

Go for simple thing, for your purpose, growing macroaglae will be good enough.

Depend on the type, but mostly I'm awared of no need sand, and even those need sand, they sure can grow on rock as well. So, just get rock will be good enough.

Try get the Chaetomorpha, I believe only few reefers have it.

else Caleurpa will be good enough, just know that you need to "harvest \ prune" it when it grow too much or getting certain signs.

[Guest]

Of course i'm new. That's why this forum is set up right.

so to grow macroaglae just throw this into the sump and provide Normal Output light on it 24hour per day? currently i have coral chip in the 2nd compartment of the sump. is it ok to just throw the macroaglae there?

Like to find out if there is any different in the way the sump water flow is setup. (see pic diagram 1 and 2) My sump water flow is diagram 1. All the sump for refugium are setup using diagram 2 from what i saw. Any advantage?

[Kelmen]

Ge.... me old man liao. Many times cannot see the "obvious"

You can on the light full day, or "reverse photoperiod" = main tank on, sump off, and vice versa.

Personnally I would go for reverse photoperiod, dont want work the plant like slave.... "sayang" them mah.....

Its best put the plant after your coral chips section, since nitrate is also output from the chips. If really no place, "chin-chai" loh. Afterall the water still flow back one.

IMO: functionality wise, the sump of both are practically same, except you can't practically put sand in #1, unless the sand level must lower than the baffle inlet height, else jamup, flooding oh.

#2 you can put sand in easy, since you not bothering with sand, no eye see lah.

[jem]

one of my sump plans =)

just to share

[Melvyn Tan]

What a cute looking sump

[blueheaven]

Did you read my article on sandbeds?

It might give some insight

[marble]

hOW DOES macroalgae help to reduce NO3??

Isit when they r making food under e lgts they make use of NO3 also???kekeke...abit like pri sch science qn..sori 4got liao lah so ask tis stupid qn....

Is 18w PL lgts enough??

Besides lgts,wat else do i need for tis setup???

Im using red bamboo algae lor as when they grow,i can cut it shorter n feed it to my tangs...kekeke

[somebody]

why the plenum system need eggcrate?? so the plenum is supposed to fill the gaps only ah??

[blueheaven]

hOW DOES macroalgae help to reduce NO3??

Isit when they r making food under e lgts they make use of NO3 also???kekeke...abit like pri sch science qn..sori 4got liao lah so ask tis stupid qn....

Is 18w PL lgts enough??

Besides lgts,wat else do i need for tis setup???

Im using red bamboo algae lor as when they grow,i can cut it shorter n feed it to my tangs...kekeke

Macroalgae take in the nutrients which the pest algae use to grow.

In other words, we are using an algae to prevent other unwanted algal growth.

However, aside from aesthetics, microalgal growth provides food for herbivourous fishes and their rasping mouth actions free up the algal cells which end up as plankton.

Remember, without cyano, there wouldn't be us

[marble]

Macroalgae take in the nutrients which the pest algae use to grow.

In other words, we are using an algae to prevent other unwanted algal growth.

However, aside from aesthetics, microalgal growth provides food for herbivourous fishes and their rasping mouth actions free up the algal cells which end up as plankton.

Remember, without cyano, there wouldn't be us

So does keeping marco algae like red bamboo algae n marine plants help to reduce no3????

Quite confuse with it as undstd tat plants onli need lgts n co2 to make food n thus release O2 rite??(think tats wat my pri sch science teacher used to teach??)kekeke..Nvr heard them consuming no3 as well to make maka....

anyone can advise as im keeping red bamboo algae without sandbeding in my sump in e hope tat they can help me reduce some no3(As wat some shops uncle had told me they help to consume no3)...Will tat reali helps???

[zarkon]

Macroalgae take in the nutrients which the pest algae use to grow.

In other words, we are using an algae to prevent other unwanted algal growth.

However, aside from aesthetics, microalgal growth provides food for herbivourous fishes and their rasping mouth actions free up the algal cells which end up as plankton.

Remember, without cyano, there wouldn't be us

Really ah bro no cyano no us.... boy need to find more info and start feeding them to my little girls....

[taylapong]

"no cyano no us"? Only if you subscribe to evolution theory right? hehe...

anyways, i was thinking, do any of you still use trickle filters? with bioballs and all? Or, have we moved on beyond that? I know it's been like mainstream filtration, especailly after Thiel's books published in the 80s...

What else do you put in your sumps/ref?

[blueheaven]

So does keeping marco algae like red bamboo algae n marine plants help to reduce no3????

Quite confuse with it as undstd tat plants onli need lgts n co2 to make food n thus release O2 rite??(think tats wat my pri sch science teacher used to teach??)kekeke..Nvr heard them consuming no3 as well to make maka....

anyone can advise as im keeping red bamboo algae without sandbeding in my sump in e hope tat they can help me reduce some no3(As wat some shops uncle had told me they help to consume no3)...Will tat reali helps???

That's photosynthesis and the byproduct is sugars like glucose which is broken down to release energy, synthesis of cell wall and converted to amino acids.

The plants need essential elements (NPK) too

Nitrate is needed to synthesize proteins and amino acids and most importantly, chlorophyll.

Phosphorus is needed for photosynthesis, cell division, storage of energy and many other activities.

Potassium is needed for protein synthesis, the breakdown of carbohydrates, activation of most enzymes and other processes.

Hope this helps you understand. (Exams coming soon so I hope I've not made any mistakes )

[marble]

That's photosynthesis and the byproduct is sugars like glucose which is broken down to release energy, synthesis of cell wall and converted to amino acids.

The plants need essential elements (NPK) too

Nitrate is needed to synthesize proteins and amino acids and most importantly, chlorophyll.

Phosphorus is needed for photosynthesis, cell division, storage of energy and many other activities.

Potassium is needed for protein synthesis, the breakdown of carbohydrates, activation of most enzymes and other processes.

Hope this helps you understand. (Exams coming soon so I hope I've not made any mistakes )

Wow sei bro...

U ans raeli lik a teacher man.....keke

So in short,keepin Red bamboo algae n marine plants in our sump can reali help to bring dw no3???

[blueheaven]

In a way they do. For those who have seen my tank, you guys would have noticed that I do not have unsightly hairy algae in my tank and the glass is clean.

That's the work of macroalgae but you need to get one which grows fast and does not crash like chaeto

[marble]

In a way they do. For those who have seen my tank, you guys would have noticed that I do not have unsightly hairy algae in my tank and the glass is clean.

That's the work of macroalgae but you need to get one which grows fast and does not crash like chaeto

Wat type of macro algae do u recommend than???

Red bamboo algae gd enough???

[somebody]

yo bro blueheaven, yea speak! =) which type do you recommend then.

but other than the macroalgae, you also have a powerful skimmer right?

[blueheaven]

Personally I like chaetomorpha as it is stable and grows as fast as caulerpa

Other types like ulva should be ok too

My skimmer takes away most of the DOC and if there are remaining that decompose to nutrients, the chaeto will take care of that. Of course regular water changes using DI water is also crucial in maintaining low nutrient

[somebody]

ermm.. bro, how does it look like and where can i get it from? =)

using a "not too pro skimmer but oversized" macro AS 350 for my 2ft tank, and need good macro algae to settle the "prob" haha.

[blueheaven]

Check out my sig.