ecosystem refugiums

how often do u have to trim your plants. is it true that a refuge will increase your water volume in my tank. How does that work. are bristle worms or speghitti worms bad for your refuge or main tank. do I need any supplements for my refuge for that live plants.

 

I have 300 GPH flow in my sump/refuium set up. 300 gph gravity overflow to sump compartment with skimmer. Skimmed water runs through the refugium and then pumpede bak into the tank with a Mag 7. HTH

 

how often do u have to trim your plants. is it true that a refuge will increase your water volume in my tank. How does that work. are bristle worms or speghitti worms bad for your refuge or main tank. do I need any supplements for my refuge for that live plants.

 

Trim the plants when they grow to much.

The taoal water volume increases about 40 - 60% of your Refugium. My 29 gallon adds about 20 gallons to my system turning my 80 gallon display tank into a 100 gallon system.

All polycheates or worms are good in your display or refugium.

You won't need to supplement your refugium, the macro algaes will take in nitrayes and phosphates, that's a good thing, and when trimmed those two unwanted chemicals will be exported from your sytem just as it is designed to do.

HTH

 

When you buy a aquarium they measure the outside of the tank.
So really an 80 gallon tank is around 78 to 79. then your sand displaces even more water and depending on the amount of sand this could tank down the water volume another 2 to 4 gallons.Now you come to the LR and also depending on the amount of LIVE ROCK you have this takes away more water volume.
I also have an 80 gallon. 80 pounds of LS and 120 pounds of LR. So my main tank is holding approx 65 to 70 gallons. then you add the sump and refugium water volume. which I have around 20 gallons total. so total amount would be 85 to 90 gallons on my tank.

I trim mine when they start to cover my bulk head gravity feed back to sump.

 

Good point Dave, taking into account the sand and liv rock in my display my total water volumr is probably 75 - 80 gallons including my sump/refugium.

 

how does the refuge add to water volume because the same water is passing thru both systems. by the way what kind of supplements do u add to your main tank.

 

I don't supplement and would never add any without testing.

Don't know what to add to the volumre explanation. My tank is probably 60 - 65 gallns net of sand and live rock displacement. The 15 - 20 gallons in my refugium gives me a sum total of 75 - 85 gallons.

 

aren't u lacking calcium and other trace elements by not adding supplements. do u have pods in your refuge.

 

If the refugium is connected and working properly with your main tank or sump any dosing or additives to tank will also reach the refugiium