Flow in a refugium

[ShawnSaucier]

Thinking about adding a smal powerhead to my fuge, is more or less flow recommended?

 

[adupree]

what size fuge?

 

[cdness]

A powerhead won't hurt, but I find it gets plugged quickly if using an older style MJ pump. If using a prop pump you would be OK.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

The fuge is about 19g with 40lbs of MM and 10lbs of rock rubble. I have 2x12w 6500K LED par38's on it for lighting. Still deciding on what macro to add.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

The fuge is about 19g with 40lbs of MM and 10lbs of rock rubble. I have 2x12w 6500K LED par38's on it for lighting. Still deciding on what macro to add.

I should add that it is about 8% of my total system volume! hoping for some nutrient control and food for the critters

 

[ShawnSaucier]

A powerhead won't hurt, but I find it gets plugged quickly if using an older style MJ pump. If using a prop pump you would be OK.

Do you mean like a nano korali?

 

[adupree]

A small koralia would be ok.

 

[Titus]

I use a Koralia nano 240 in my 20g Long refugium. The fuge only gets a small percentage of my return water cycled through it. I found that addition of the Koralia coincided with increased Chaeto growth rates, but it is anecdotal evidence at best... There are other variables that are just as likely to have contributed to the increased growth, including tank age and a steadily increasing bio-load.

 

[BeardedReefer]

You want slow flow in your fuge. So no power head

 

[HoaglandDiver]

+1 on Bearded Reefer

 

[StikHedRon]

Flow in your fuge is different than flow through your fuge. Slow flow THROUGH your fuge, so add a power head in there and help it out.

 

[FlyinBryan]

I have a ton of miracle mud in fuge and have plenty of flow thru proflex 4 sump so it wouldnt make alot of sense for my use.

 

[scottishreefer]

My refugium runs at about 70ltr. The flow through it is about 5-10 x display volume/hour so it is relatively slow. I use a 1000lph Aquasyncro pump which eliminates any deadspots at the surface. Previously I was getting some areas of cyano at the edges.

 

[CastAway]

Macro algae do require movement for the most effective gas/nutrient exchange, same logic as with some corals. Perhaps throughput and turbulence are two entirely separate variables. The term "flow" can be ambiguous. My own refugium is approx. 12% of the total volume (210g) and I estimate throughput at 350gph.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

My throughput is very low, I would guess maybe 100gph, that is why I was looking for a bit more flow inside the fuge itself.

 

[JMSKI333]

I always thought the slower the better with a fuge?

 

[mfinn]

I use a maxi-jet in mine.

 

[mfinn]

I always thought the slower the better with a fuge?

slow flow through it, but strong flow in it.

 

[BeardedReefer]

slow flow through it, but strong flow in it.

So how do you isolate flow within the fuge. It's like a pin drop on calm water that flow is going to go somewhere.

 

[mfinn]

The refugium is separated from the rest of the sump with bubble traps.
I have relatively slow flow through the sump with a powerhead in the refugium area.