adding a refugium

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by Wolffvet, Apr 3, 2002.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Wolffvet

    Wolffvet Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2002
    Messages:
    67
    Location:
    Gatesville, TX
    I have a 65 gallon tank and want to add a refugium using a 10 gallon tank I have lying around. Does anyone have any ideas? i have heard of using miracle mud or live sand for the substrate and adding calupera and other stuff to act like a filter. I am planning to but some shrimp and other stuff in it that my lionfish might eat. If you have any ideas or comments please drop them.
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    13,466
    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    Do you have a sump already on that 65?

    If you do then It would be pretty easy, just put the 10 gal tank higher than the sump. Use a power head in the sump to feed the refugium then have a siphon drain it back into the sump. If you don't have a sump, you will need a pre-filter/overflow to feed the 10 gal tank and a pump to return it to the tank.

    I don't know much about that mud, but what I have heard is pretty positive. Assuming you already have sand in the tank, I would go with the mud if any substrate at all.

    For a refugium that small, some power compact lights would work fine. A setup with about 30 watts min. would work. Maybe a couple mini might fixtures with a couple bulbs a piece, or a jalli light fixture, etc..

    If you read my section on refugiums, that goes into detail on light cycles and types of caulerpa to use.

    Good luck!

    wahoo!!!!!
     
  4. Wolffvet

    Wolffvet Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2002
    Messages:
    67
    Location:
    Gatesville, TX
    I sure appreciate the info and I will give the refugium article a look again. Also, if anyone knows a good place to buy miracle mud and caulerpa please drop the address.
    Thanks
     
  5. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    13,466
    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    No prob.

    The mud I would look for online and in magazines first. Let us know what that stuff really is and does, because I, anyway, have yet to take a close look at it!

    The caulerpa you should be able to get at your local fish stores. I have heard about some outrageous prices though, I mean it grows like a weed so what's with the gouge?

    If they are asking more than ten bucks a bunch, I would ask around - friends, reef clubs, etc.. A lot of people end up just throwing the extra out!
     
  6. aseidman00

    aseidman00 Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2003
    Messages:
    52
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY,New_York
    the answer to buying caulerpa is ebay my friends... if you can't find it locally go to ebay. its there and it ships fairly well.
     
  7. Craig Manoukian

    Craig Manoukian Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2002
    Messages:
    3,330
    Location:
    Marina del Rey, California
  8. Click Here!

  9. Land_Fish

    Land_Fish Guest

    I think the miracle mud is over rated. The LFS most likly a mom and pop setup will have everything you need.
     
  10. Wolffvet

    Wolffvet Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2002
    Messages:
    67
    Location:
    Gatesville, TX
    I still have not set up my refugium but I have figured out how I am going to do it. I am going to use a 20 gal tank I have laying around and just have it feed from my overflow and then gravity flow back into my sump. I am going to put some ls, lr , macros and a mangrove in it along with some inverts and such.
     
  11. Gresham

    Gresham Great Blue Whale

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2002
    Messages:
    2,825
    Location:
    SF/Monterey Bay Area, CA
    Me too. I mean, anyone of us can go down to Topenga Canyon in Los Angeles and get the same thing for free. Oops, did I give away his secret mud source, silly me.


    Since your in texas, you should have no problem locating Caulerpa. Try ebay or a local club as sudgested. Us here in Cali can't get caulerpa (either 6 or 9 species total are outlawed) legally. When they outlawed caulerpa, they turned us Cali Reefies into outlaws. Breaking the law..... Breaking the law.....
     
  12. Land_Fish

    Land_Fish Guest

    Sounds like a good plan. Are you going to use a bulhead to get water from refugium to sump?