Sand vs no sand?

[hfp75]

Originally Posted by Leach29

Maintenance is going to be an issue for me, I was hoping to keep it as simple as possible. I am having it in wall with a fish room and my space is limited being able to syphon some spots due to framing ect. It concerns me that I will have many dead spots.

Your water change schedule will be up to you, when you change the water out just be sure to get out the waists that you can. I have dead spots that get cleaned once a year.

When I 'change out water' 2x / month I am really using the 'exiting' waters force and momentum to pull out some sand and the crap (solids) that collect within it - a means to vacuum the sand. The residual sand and solids in the water drainage bucket get washed a few times with tap water until it is clean and then dumped back into the tank. I lose very little sand down the drain during this process.

Usually Once a year I do a 'large clean'. I take a day and remove rock and coral into another tank / rubber-made and remove all the sand and wash it until it is clean and then it goes back in, along with all the rocks and corals. Then if the old water looks clean it can go back in and I fill the rest with new water. Being careful with water temps during this process.

Originally Posted by Leach29

If I have run refugium that would help with the water quality ?

Yes, BUT it will only remove nutrients that are 'dissolved/suspended' in the water. It wont help you remove solids that collect.

* Detrius (fish poop) are solids that slowly break down in the tank and as it breaks down releases P04 and N03. Your goal is to remove detrius before it breaks down with weekly water changes. That doesn't happen for a lot of us. So, your sand collects it and slowly releases the P04 and N03 that are held within it. You can vacuum out the thick/semi solid sludge that is detrius, but you will never get all of it. So, there will always be some P04 and N03 that is being released into the water. Hence the refugium/sump.

Refugium/Sump is where you will try to keep some:

1. algae(s) that consume P04 & N03 that is suspended in the water as it grows, as another way to remove the toxins (P04 & N03)
2. skimmer that also removes leftover suspended waists and aerates the water.
3. extra live rock that also removes P04 and N03, as another way to remove the toxins (P04 & N03)
4. Where you can 'feed' & 'return' reactors - two main types:

• Phosphate removal reactor - Use Rowaphos!!!
• Nitrate removal reactor - with biopellets....

*refugium - is more of a refuge from predation for small critters - a safe tank...
*sump - is where water processes are handled

Since the little critters can live safely in a sump there is terminology overlap.

You could have a tank for just the live rock and a tank for just algae - the goal is water purification but it will also act as a refugium. Then have it drain into a sump for the skimming and return pump..... most people I doubt truly run a dedicated refugium and it is really all about the water purification and the pods and slugs just happen to live in there.....

Does that make any sense? or did I just ramble?