what are refugiums used for

i was curious as to what refugiums are used for

 

Literally means a "safe place".

Usually used for macro algae and RDSB Remote Deep Sand Bed as a "natural filter". Also a good place for pods to grow and multiply while being protected from predators.

 

Watch these:

YouTube - Brandon's 72 Gallon Reef - Equipment Info - Part 1

YouTube - Brandon's 72 Gallon Reef - Equipment Info - Part 2

 

Basically a place for macroalgae to thrive and use up those nasty nitrates and phosphates we all collect in our tanks. And the pod thing is a great truth as well. There are many, many ways to do a fuge. There is really no right or wrong way, just what you feel comfortable with and what your set up will allow.

Mine is an off-set fuge that is a part of a 20g long I keep under my display tank. To give you an idea of mine (just as an example) here are a few pics. I built it so it was off-set, and what that means is that it gets an independent water source. The flow doesn't dump into one side of the 20, run over the fuge in the center and get pumped back up to the DT. I wanted to be able to control the flow and slow it down. So I give it it's own, adjustable water flow.

You can have a DSB in there if you want. Some don't like that set up. I have heard that there can be problems down the line when the sandbed gets older. Honestly, I read what the problems were somewhere, decided against it and promptly flushed that information. So what they are? Can't tell ya.

There is also the Mineral mud method. That's what I did. Some put an inch of LS on top. Some don't. I am going to once my nitrates are under control.

Then there are allllllll the possiblilities of what you can put in there. I am not going to get into that because, frankly, I can barely tell you what I have in there right now. I would have to look it up. Reefcleaners.org put it together for me.

Some of these macros need slow flow, some like fast flow.

Some require alternate lighting (on at night and off during the day), some require 24/7 lighting. Mine is 24/7. If I don't, it can spore out and infest the tank. I think. I was just told to keep the light on 24/7. Good enough for me. I should look that up.....because at this point I sound like an idiot. But that's OK. Not the first time.

So that gives you an idea of not all, but just some, of the ways to do things. If it is done right, the tank under your DT can look good enough to show. Mine is not one of them.

Full view of 20g sump/fuge. Fuge is a 12"x12" section at the far end. In the sump, I have a heater, a skimmer and three powerheads (two returns and one for the skimmer).



This is the Fuge. I have eight kinds of macroalgae in there (I just looked it up): Grape Caulpera, Fern Caulpera, Caulpera prolifica, Ulva, Chaeto, Gracillaria and two macros I cannot ID. Two I got from the LFS, six I got from reefcleaners.

 

That looks like a coil denitrator Tangster made ^^^

 

Yes it is!!!! You have good eyes!!!!

 

refugium
A refugium is a separate tank where plants and vulnerable animals can be kept away from other inhabitants that would otherwise eat them. Oftentimes, a refugium contains only plants and its main purpose is to remove nitrates on other substances from the water.

Heres a couple of pics of mine....http://www.3reef.com/forums/refugium/if-you-had-design-fuge-sump-60953.html