# Refugium for freshwater?



## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

Hey guys,

I'm working on doing a new filtration system for my 125, and was thinking that a freshwater refugium may be a good idea. I've currently got a pair of canister filters which I would eventually like to get away from, but not sure I can really ever do that. I picked up a wet/dry system rated for my tank, and should have it running in a day or 2. I was thinking of stocking it full of plants, and either some shrimp or clams.

Not sure where I would plumb it into the system yet, but will figure that out soon.

So....good idea or bad idea?

Scott


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## TangSteve (Sep 20, 2009)

Why would you want one?

SW tanks use it to breed coepods to help feed filter feeding fish or to harvest fast growing algae to help reduce nitrates.

I guess you could grow wisteria or other fash growing plants but water changes are so easy and as for feeding plankton feeding fish, I have never seen a reliable source for fw coepods to ensure a good supply in the tank.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Plants are known to do a few good things for freshwater, including consuming nitrates and other waste by products...

In my opinion a refugium is a much better use of sump space than a wet dry... and look how popular wet drys are...


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## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

I was actually go to run them in conjunction with each other. I thought it would be a couple of thing.

#1 help reduce nitrates as my tank continues to mature....fish growing larger, more bio load
#2 I can grow out pants in there that my mbuna love to munch on. 
#3 Use clams or shrimp to help polish the water....hopefully in a effort to minimize filters needed
#4 It would be cool to raise shrimp or clams  If the shrimp breed, could also use them as food.

Also, everything I'm doing now is also designed this way so when I move to salt, I can hopefully just make the move and not need a whole lot more equipment.

Scott


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## TKC747 (Dec 5, 2008)

*Neogenesis* wrote


> So....good idea or bad idea?


I think its only a bad idea if you don't know how to set it up right...and how hard can it be? If you've got the money and the wherewithal, go for it, I know I would :thumb: I have three bunches of java fern in my 20 long and it really makes my tank look great, so if you have a refugium full of plants, its one more thing to look at on top of your africans...


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## b_ron007 (Oct 1, 2009)

I'm running one on my 240 gallon tank, and I'm pretty happy with it. I have been doing vacuum/water changes every 2 weeks and my nitrates have not gone above 20ppm after 2 weeks. I know I sound crazy, but!!!
I'm trying to shoot for a small ecosystem like in nature, and get the water changes smaller or even less frequent. I'll be testing the water religiously, and I watch my fish a really really really lot! Soo much my wife gets pissed! Thats all she gets on my case about. I'm waiting on some Hornwort & Anachris soo I can load my sump/refugium with it along with the other plants I have growing down there; I'm also gonna stick some Wisteria, Jungle Val, and some Anubias in the main tank when they get here, hopefully Tues/Wed.

I'm flowing about 700 gallons an hour through the sump/refugium with 2 pumps, and then I have a Koralia 3 Power Head helping flow in the main tank.

Soo far things are going good! I'm looking to be trimming the Anachris and Hornwort as they grow.

Look at my tank in the "Tank Setups", look for "240 gallon with sump/refugium".

Hope that helps!


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## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

I've been running a sump/ fuge for a few years now. We had a 210G set up using duckweed with 2 dozen or so very large Pearl Scales and got a month between WC's. Very messy but the fish loved the excess growth.

I have two setups running now and get good results using hornwort and anacharis. Also wysteria and moneywort work well but need more light than the ***** tail, moneywort doesn't float and needs to be rerooted.

If you are planning on clams and shrimp consider using "raw" water to feed the fuge as it will carry food and other detritus in its flow whereas filtered pump water will not. I have one set up this way but never added the shrimp.


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## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

Well,

I decided I'm definitely going to do it. I'm running out of room under my tank, so I'll only be able to squeeze a 10G under there unless I can get away from my canister filters. I'm just not sold on the wet dry yet as I've never used one and I've yet to get it running...1 more trip to the hardware store and it should be ready to go.

Has anyone ever tried one of the floating moss balls in their refugium?

http://www.petsolutions.com/Moss-Ball+I99655+C71.aspx

Oh...and just got my drill bit and bulkhead from glass-holes.com and all I can say is I got it in two days and I will be ordering from them again. Excellent product and service. Now I can drill and plumb the refugium.

Scott


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## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

Got the wet dry up and running today, silently is still under debate. I've got to figure out how to quiet that thing down. All my noise is coming from the standpipe in the overflow box.

I am hopefully going to drill my refugium tonight and get it plumbed in and see if I can get the entire system balanced.

Wish me luck.

Scott


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## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

Well....

I successfully drilled not only one, but two tanks tonight. I seemed to crack the first when tightening the bulkhead  Good thing I had another 10G sitting around to fill it's place. All that is left to do it plumb it in and I've got myself a refugium !!!!

Scott


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## Neogenesis (Jan 4, 2008)

I think I'm jinxed. I've sucessfully drilled 2 10 gallon tanks, I broke the first one when I applied uneven pressure to the bulkhead when installing it, and the second wasn't cracked when I put it under the tank, but the next morning it was. Grrrrrr....... I think I need to find a thicker container for my refugium.

Scott


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## Benaiah (Aug 18, 2009)

For those that are using a refugium, what kind of lighting do you run?


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## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

A H Supply http://www.ahsupply.com/bulbs.htm 5500k - 6500k


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