Refugiuem advice please.
 

I have a 90 gallon with 100 lbs of Indo rock. I'm using a closed loop pump system (Mag 18) and a fluval 403 for my carbon (Other than that the 403 is empty.) I'm also using a Remora skimmer which is working great! (I made a good move ditching the sea clone!)

Is it worth the effort to put a Aqaclear 500 on the back for a little HOB refugeium?

I kind of think so, but please tell me if you think it's a waste of time.

Thanks for your input. :smile:

I don't think a refugium is ever a waste of time.

You could try to find one of those "Mini Mite" (or whatever they're called) lights to light it and you could even have a little macro growout area.

Thanks for the quick reply! :biggrin:

I'm going to get the Aquaclear 500 and the light right now! :smile:

I am going to take the opposite tack and say that a refugium the size of an AC 500 is indeed a waste of time and money. Somewhere in part 1, or two in the series to which I will post a link is some information backing up my claim. :biggrin:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.htm

Too late. :smile:

I just went and bought an AC 500 and a tiny little pc light for my algae. I think even if there's no bennefit having it there at the very least I have a safe place for bipods, copods..ect to multiply in. (I hope.)

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated. :smile:

Hey Bob we can discuss this further at the meeting. Here is my take on it. I have an ac 500 fuge on my 50 gal and it has kept my mandarin alive for 2 months now and my nitrates have gone from 40ppm to 20ppm in the last month. I haven't changed anything else that I was doing. Granted a small fuge will take longer to do what you need but IMHO any fuge is better than none. Don't expect the small fuge to do great miraculous things though.

I'm not expecting much at all. I'm hoping that it will be maybe a tiny improvement to the overall well being of my aquarium, but I'm realy hoping to be able to replenish the pod supply a bit.. (I'm catching some tonight with my turkey baster and moving them to their new home.)

If the only benefit I see is the pods (fingers crossed), then it was well worth the hundred bucks it cost for this experiment and I'm one happy guy. :biggrin:

I too want a Mandarin goby, but want to make sure it has a food supply before I buy it.

Thanks again for all the replies. :smile:




Gary.

The whole deal is if it makes you happy then I say great. I myself would not recommend a small HOB refugium. You have to remember that I have tried them. I have had a 12" HOB refugium and found that it made very little difference, so I sold it. I have had a Mandarin for eight months. It has more than doubled in size. I have no refugium. For that reason I do not advise going to the $100.00 expense. But as my signature line says that is my experience yours might differ. :biggrin:

No problem Bob.


I probably would just have wasted the cash on something stupid anyhow. (Like a stupid speeding ticket.) If there's no benefit, I still have the ac 500 to use on a qt or hospital tank I guess. (Or I can put it under the crawlspace with the many boxes of freshwater stuff. :eek: )


I appreciate all the advice that I've gotten here (It's not like I'm paying for it) and realize that allot of things in this hobby are based on opinion and experience. :smile:


Thanks again.

A lot of the reason I did mine too is because I got three ac500's at a garage sale for like 15 bucks-add some boredom and wham fuge :rolleyes:

Well I hope I didn't give out bad advice, but I still think it's not a mistake to try it. It doesn't take much to have a place for pods to grow. As much as a crevasse between two rocks that fish can't reach, or a skimmer, etc. as long as there aren't mouths to predate the 'pods, the pods will grow and live there. As such the AC500 will have pods in it. Also if it doesn't work out you can still use the unit to run carbon and things like that, so it's still not a waste. And it adds a little bit of current, and also a little bit of surface agitation ... all things "not bad" to have.

Just my $0.02 though. YMMV :mrgreen:

Got a picture or a link to the PC light you bought..?
I may need a small Light soon. Just curious which one you went with... :biggrin:

Not trying to be a dick, I would have spend the money on more live rock for what your trying to achieve. I sure it will help but how much... a little bit.

Dave

Not a dick at all. That is sound advice. From what I have read a refugium to be effective needs to be much, much larger than the tank it is to service. That is why I have said a AC 500 as a refugium is no better than a fart in a windstorm. :smilecol:

I hope that this is like one of my farts in a wind storm! It would then be a great thing and be a big success! (If you've ever smelt one of my farts you'd stay upwind even in a storm.) :lol:

I'll get a pic and a model # (hopefully) up for you tommorow muck.

It wasn't a matter of trying to get the most for my money in this case. The idea of this little refugeium was more because I wanted a place for pods to be able to breed and not be eaten in the event that the live rock is picked clean. Any other purpose that it serves would be a bonus. I already have just over a hundred pounds in the 90 and might add some in the future, but all new rock will be selected for appearance and not for pounds. I put enough in for a good start and will be very selective for the rest. :smile:

Any update with this Gary? :confused:

Sorry Ryan! I totaly forgot to look at this untill now. (Very short attention span.)

I got the mini pc with a little 15X15X15 cm acrylic nano kit.(Something you would use for a Betta.). I bought it just to steal the light from it and will let the kids use the little tank and filter system for a Betta in one of their rooms. The kit is called a AZOO Razzle Dazzle and was $35.00 at Gold Aquariums in Calgary. (I'm sure you can buy the light on it's own, but will probably cost $20.00 at least. And I'm too lazy to go on a scavanger hunt. :smile: )

Her's a few pic's for you to know what it looks like.

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/1376Tank3.jpg

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/1376Tank4.jpg

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/507/1376Tank5.jpg

The 3rd pic shows the particulars on the bulb. (AQUA LUX 7W 7200K Just in case the pic is hard to make out.)

Heres a link to the AZOO company site.www.azoo.com.tw

Again, sorry for forgetting to get back to you Ryan.

Hope this helps you find what you want. :smile:

Thanks for pics Gary. Hope the light works good for you.
Im going shopping this weekend. I guess I will see what I come up with. :mrgreen: