Sand Bed-Fuge Question

If you have a decent refugium do you still need a DSB?

I am working on a nice fuge in my new sump setup and currently only have about 1'' on sand in my tank. Do I still need to add more sand even though I am installing a fuge?

 

I think the two items cannot be relatively compared as to the benefits of an aquarium. But, I'll try to provide an answer.

A deep sea bed (DSB) provides many benefits that refugium cannot do. The aragonite material handles the nitrate nitrite reduction (NNR). More aragonite, the better your system will manage these properties.

Refugiums mostly contain more water for a more stable water system. They contain a skimmer to remove impurities from the water (waste in the skimmer cup) and then the small portion that makes up a fuge. This can contain live rock, some sand, mangroves, clams, etc.. to help with filtration. But, a fuge will not do the same level of work as a DSB.

Actually, both of these items make a good aquarium great. If you can add some sand, and you can add a refugium, you will be doing yourself (and your reef) a great favor. Your corals will grow faster and look healthier. Your bioload from the DBS will be better managed.

Please understand that a DSB will deteriorate over time. Depending on the bioload you present, the DSB can become less functional over time. This is usually about 2.5 to 3 years.

I hope this information helps you. I also hope if I made any mistakes here, that our fine members of this forum will correct me.

Here is a reference article on DeepSandBeds

Best of luck, and keep reading!
As Matt would say, "go slow, let it grow"

 

I would never put a DSB in a display tank. I would, and do, however, use DSBs in a refugium.

 

I would never run a skimmer is a refugium or supply a refugium with skimmed or filtered water .. I started to read about people doing this 5 or 6 yrs ago . But never figured out why would the even think of this ?

 

Tangster... this is off the subject but I have to know... I have been starring at your Avatar since I signed up and just had to know if that is your boat?

 

I thought I had seen enough sump/fuge designs that using a skimmer and a fuge in a sump was a common practice.



I need to do more reading. I am thoroughly confused now.

 

I think what Tangster means is that he would never run a skimmer in a refugium. If you skim or filter the water before it gets to or when it's in the refugium, the water won't contain enough "food" to feed the plants in the refugium.

 

ya thats what he meant, the fuge should have raw water from the tank. Lol I almost made that mistake and having my return T off to the fuge. Im going with a DSB in DT and DSB in fuge. Ive done the DSB in the fuge and it help but now im curious how much more it will help to have in DT, guess time will tell in my next setup.

 

well, that makes sense. I modifed my picture link. The first one had a DSB in stead of a fuge. The link there now is a better representation.

So, DSB in the tank is a good idea.

Sump with a fuge fed first, then skimmer, then back to the tank, is also good.

{whew/exhale}

 

Here you go.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-articles-how-tos/all-about-sumps-filters-fuges-79852.html