Many people set the light over that extra tank to operate when their display tank is dark. This allows the plants and algae including symbiotic zooxanthellae in your corals and clams to turn light and carbon dioxide into sugar, releasing oxygen.
And — for those who remember high school chemistry class — the chemical reaction changes the pH in your tank. Using this simple lighting trick can help balance those pH swings, making your tank more stable. That means you get to cycle back around to nitrate removal. And that brings us to the next important topic: where to place that little tank.
But now, you need to decide where to add your handy extra tank. You have a couple choices — and neither is better or worse than another. Most aquarists with a sump prefer to dedicate an area within their sump as the refugia. It also works best if you want to use the opposing lighting trick. They can also get pricey, depending on how high-tech and complicated you decide to go. What you see is what you get: a small tank that attaches inside your display aquarium.
And if you wanted some additional water volume for your tank? Yeah, not so much. But as a little safe haven, it works nicely. Another popular and easy way to add a refugium to almost any tank is to use a Hang-on-the-back HOB style refugium. Similar to HOB filters, they attach to the back of your aquarium. You gain additional water volume, and depending on how you chose to set up your aquarium and stand you might even be able to puzzle out a way to work on opposing lighting schedules.
Refu giums pitch in and make managing a saltwater aquarium a little easier. This YouTube video focuses on that crucial macroalgae harvest:. After considering and planning the previous topics, you will be ready to set up your new refugium. Maintenance on your refugium is simple. Harvest the macroalgae every two to four weeks depending on how fast it grows. Simple, easy, and very effective. If you followed these instruction and tips you will now have had successfully set up your refugium.
You will soon see your algae grow and the positive effect of having a refugium for your saltwater aquarium. That way you balance your Ph at night.
A good grow light does not need to be on all the time. A quality light for a few hours a night, good flow, give it a shake once in a while to get the gunk off, and the chaeto will grow.
If your fuge is under your tank in a regular stand, be sure you enough height between high output lights like the Kessil H and the water surface. That is my set up and I scorched some chaeto before learning to reduce my time and pull the light back as far as I could — about 8 inches above the water line.
I have 10X flow in my sump but it still will not spin the chaeto to keep it from burning. Now the chaeto is thriving with 6 hours of light nightly and my nutrients are at near zero using Triton method. I just finished plumbing my fuge. Starting it up tomorrow. It is perfectly OK, and they are helping to keep your tank clean! My tank has been going through the algae cycle and your mocha ogo in my fuge is growing like crazy.
This excess Chaeto can be simply thrown away. I find that most of my tanks once established with a refugium require Chaeto trimming every two weeks or so. So instead of just tossing out your Chaeto trimmings you can sell it, trade it, donate it, or even take it to your local fish store for in-store credit.
Three of the most common reasons to not include a refugium in your system can include increased maintenance, cost, and space constraints. This is probably one of the biggest constraints in my mind when thinking about adding or including a refugium in your system. Refugiums should have their maintenance schedule and not maintaining your fuge can be detrimental.
If you grow macro algae in your fuge it is helping filtration by stripping harmful nitrate from the water. If left unmaintained detritus can settle at the bottom of the fuge, continuously break down into dissolved organic waste, and become a harmful nitrate factory. Regular maintenance will include cleaning out the bottom of the fuge and scraping the glass. What are the Best Substrates to Use for a Refugium?
There are two costs to think about when adding a refugium, start-up costs, and ongoing costs. Once you have refugium capability other start-up costs can include a substrate, seeding with copepods, seeding macroalgae, and adding a lighting source.
Once your refugium is set up the can be some ongoing costs including the electricity going to the fuge light and any other items in the fuge that may need refreshing from time to time like adding more copepods or changing substrate like Miracle Mud. Depending on your home and your system, adding a refugium can be a challenge when it comes to space. Most refugiums are in the sump or separate via a hang on the back option. I like having refugiums on my reef tank setups.
I find them to be little maintenance and overall help the stability of my tanks. I also think it is a nice natural way to help control nutrients in the water. One of the most unanticipated benefits of the refugium is the coolness factor.
What are the basic components of a refugium?
0コメント