Yet another thread on refugiums...

[bigploch]

OK here is the deal. I was given a 10 gal tank I am using as a refugium. I installed a 1" plenum with a 6" DSB. This only allowed me to have about 3" of water above the DSB. I already have the tank and and pump. This is the largest tank that I can fit in my stand for a refugium. I am also running a protein skimmer and an algae scrubber. The debate is this...Do I

A. Run with the DSB as is. If so, is the lack of volume a problem?

B. Dump the DSB and fill that sucker with macro algae. If so what have people had success with? Is this just duplicating what the algae scrubber is doing?

C. It's all too small to add any benefit so I should scrap the whole idea.

Any input would be helpful. Thanks in advance. :D

 

[project5k]

yea, i'm wondering the same thing, and i'm inclined(and i dont know why) to think that the algae scrubber and the plant life you put in your fuge will have some overlapping nutrient requirements, but i'm also thinking ithey might still grow cause there might be enough difference in thier food requirements..

I'm no expert, i really dont know, i havent tried it, but thats just what my gut is telling me.

 

[dcantucson]

I don't think the water volume would be that bad as long as you have good flow, besides most of the activity is in the sand bed and not in the water column. If you go the other route I agree that you would be duplicating your algae scrubber some.

 

[project5k]

my question is would there be too much overlap and would one or the other or both suffer from it? cause this is exactly what i'm getting ready to set up in my new stand.

the other question that has been rolling around in the back of my head was this: what if you built a fluid bed filter, after the skimmer, after the fuge, after the algal scrubber, then you pump the water under a thick layer of sand, and let the water percolate up through the sand, and then it gets pumped up to the DT... i'm just wondering if this would allow for better bio filtration, and hoping that the other stages will take care of any mechanical filtration that is needed...