Refuge pics

I set this up a couple of weeks ago to mainly help with the nitrates. Within one week of adding the refuge i saw an exponential increase in the pod population and it has lowered the nitrates by a little bit. I just added the sand today, i don't know if it is deep enough to be considered a dsb but it seems about right to me. Here are some pics. Hope to here everyone's input.

This is the first day i got it set up.



This is after i put the sand in today.

 

Looking good, I wish I would of put in a lot more sand when I set it up.

 

i was thinking about adding a little bit more sand but i am not sure because if it is too deep i will have some real problems in a couple weeks.

 

Looks good, You didnt want to go with any baffles(sp)? Luna

 

i am not completely sure what a baffle is but i am assuming it is some sort of filter for the incoming water from the overflow? I am still working that part out.

 

Baffles are dividers inside the refugium that help/stop too much O2 from coming into the refugium. Luna

 

My understanding, is that you have the baffles so that the "stuff" in your water can settle to the bottom of the fuge. Take a look at a pre-fab fuge.

 

oh ok i was completely off.lol
the flow is pretty low in there so i didn't really think that it needed something like that. Do you think that it is necessary?

 

It also helps to slow the flow coming into the refug. Luna

 

i can adjust the flow with the ball valve's. One valve goes to the refuge and the other to the sump.