refugium question

[TriMax]

Should all of the sump go through the refugium?

Should part of the (lower flow) go through the refugium. If so, how much (%)? Is there a max or min flow though a refugium?

Who thinks refugiums are good, bad, ok, not worth the trouble, would not do without????

thanks

 

[mkenochm]

I don't know if it is correct but I have all my 1/2 my flow going through my refugium and then from the refugium to the sump. I have just recently added mine but from what I have read it is very beneficial.

 

[Runner]

From what I understand, slower than reef-level flow through the refugium is best. I do not know optimal rates, though. When I had a refugium, it was in the middle of my sump after the skimmer and with full flow -- all the wrong way to do things by common wisdum I read over at RC. But I had macro growing like crazy and 0 nitrates.

As for whether you should have it or not, I think it is very beneficial for diversity of small life and for sucking out nitrates and phosphates. But I have also read in some places where some macros put out stuff that may suppress growth in some corals. The safest macro for a refugium is chaeto. Do not use razor calurpa under any circumstance -- it may grow the fastest and best, but if it gets even a small bit in the main tank, it will be on your rock forever and will attempt a takeover. And any macro but chaeto will likely need light 24/7 to keep from spewing out spores that will take root in your rock.

That about sums up my knowledge and/or experience (not necessarily the same).

 

[cee]

Never ran a refugium so can't help you.

 

[macclellan]

What do you want your refugium to do? Pods and such do better with lower flow, but as Scott suggested, growing chaeto for reducing nitrates and phosphates is fine in high flow. My refugium has the full flow through the sump, but it mostly goes over the top. There is low flow in the middle to bottom of the refugium. I have LR on the bottom with chaeto on top, no substrate. It's easier to prevent detritus build up this way, I just suck out the gunk every few months. I've never been able to measure nitrates or phosphates, but that could be due to any number of reasons (good maintenance, lots of LR, smallish bioload). Nonetheless, I suspect that the refugium is beneficial for the tank as a refuge for beneficial microscopic life, extra live rock in the system, chaeto removing nitrates and phosphates, and since the refugium is on a reverse photoperiod, I assume it helps stabalize my pH by consuming co2 and prevents hypoxia at night, especially since I don't run a skimmer and get its oxygenating effect.