FW Refugium

b_james · #1 12-08-2011, 09:25 PM

Anyone using a freshwater fuge for their system?

troni · #2 12-13-2011, 05:08 AM

i have not but it'd be interesting to see! i'm setting up a 90g i think i'm going to put sump and possibly a refugium.

ElGuappo · #3 12-13-2011, 07:21 AM

i have heard of people using skimmers on sumped fw systems. i have never tried or seen it tho...

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #4 12-13-2011, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElGuappo

i have heard of people using skimmers on sumped fw systems. i have never tried or seen it tho...

On a very dirty tank like for koi, a protein skimmer sort of works, but otherwise no. At that point, you are much better off doing a simple water change. (my friend tried it as an experiment on his brother's koi tank).

What you are talking about for a refugium on a fw tank is what I like to call a "planted fw tank"

With my heavily stocked, over-filtered last planted tank, the plants did a very good job sucking up excess nutrients, to the point where I had to add Metricide as a carbon source and plants grew very well, water stayed good, and fish were healthy.

troni · #5 12-14-2011, 02:43 AM

i did some looking and a freshwater refugium would be like a nitrate sponge or somewhere else for benefictial bacteria. oh daphnia is suppose be good in it.

intarsiabox · #6 12-14-2011, 03:14 AM

I tried a HOB skimmer that I was using on nano on a FW tank to see what would happen and it would not produce any foam or climb up the skimmer walls.