Is a refugium in a small tank worth it... and what is the best macro algae to go with?

New&no clue

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I have an IM NUVO 30L. I have been thinking about adding a refugium in one of the back sections. My question is do small refugiums in small tanks really make a difference, or are you just adding more work on?

If they are beneficial with a small space is Chaeto the best way to go or something else? For example something that grows in stocks instead of in a clump.
 
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I did a hang refugium in my all in one. It’s been a great addition. The population of pods has exploded. I used chaeto

Thanks for the video, your tank looks nice, I love the BTAs. How big is the hang on, and what light are you using?
 

Luis1992

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Thanks for the video, your tank looks nice, I love the BTAs. How big is the hang on, and what light are you using?
Thanks for the complement. I’ve recently turned the tank into a frag tank since I have a much larger display tank. I’ll add an updated pic. I have the large cpr that came with an led light. Honestly it’s really well made. I did a base of miracle mud. I put sand over that and added marine pure cubes. I honestly won’t buy from algae barn anymore as far as pods go. Found a seller on here for a much better rate. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/larg...-refugium-with-led-lighting-cpr-aquatics.html

64D00D8F-9F70-45D7-ACD6-725098836261.jpeg 4B2D6F17-9677-47B9-B007-DAF595E39B50.jpeg
 

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I’m not trying to grow pods, I’m not sure any of fish would eat them. I’m looking more for a natural way to export nutrients from the water and reduce the amount of water changes I have to do. I’m not sure I could fit at HOB with where the tank is at.
 

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I think a refugium is always worth it as long as it's big enough. There is much debate on what is big enough. But generally between 10-25% of the DT size has shown to be effective.
 
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I think a refugium is always worth it as long as it's big enough. There is much debate on what is big enough. But generally between 10-25% of the DT size has shown to be effective.

This is my concern, is one of the chambers on an AIO big enough to be effective. If I use your rule, and just do napkin math based off total tank size, not water volume.

If I measure the display it is 35.43x6.5x12.99=2991.53 so I would want a refugium that is roughly 299 to 748. One chamber is 4.5x4.5x12.99= 263 so it doesn't seem to make the cut. I guess an option could be to take two chambers and make them both refugiums. That would total 526 that would be about 17.5%

hmmmmm... maybe I could start with one chamber and add another later if needed.
 

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This is my concern, is one of the chambers on an AIO big enough to be effective. If I use your rule, and just do napkin math based off total tank size, not water volume.

If I measure the display it is 35.43x6.5x12.99=2991.53 so I would want a refugium that is roughly 299 to 748. One chamber is 4.5x4.5x12.99= 263 so it doesn't seem to make the cut. I guess an option could be to take two chambers and make them both refugiums. That would total 526 that would be about 17.5%

hmmmmm... maybe I could start with one chamber and add another later if needed.

I do not know this rule to be true, I just know it is what many others have said, and it's the general rule. For this reason I have not done one YET. But I intend to set up a tank next to my DT. Drill it, and have it flow into the sump of my main tank. With a small pump, pumping water out of the sump and into the refugium.

By the way, when I said DT, I meant water volume. Sorry for the confusion. Also my understanding is this rule is if the goal is for nutrient export. If the goal is just a place to host some organisms like pods, then any size would have it's value. IMO
 
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Something along the lines of this:

 
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By the way, when I said DT, I meant water volume. Sorry for the confusion. Also my understanding is this rule is if the goal is for nutrient export. If the goal is just a place to host some organisms like pods, then any size would have it's value. IMO

Yeah I would be looking for nutrient exporting, sp if I include the whole tank and two chambers I would only be at about 4%k, which seems like it may not be worth it.
 

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Yeah I would be looking for nutrient exporting, sp if I include the whole tank and two chambers I would only be at about 4%k, which seems like it may not be worth it.

Could always be an excuse to set up a small tank next to it like I hope to :)

I kind of hope to turn it into a display refugium. have seen a few that are SUPER cool looking.
 

Jcascioli

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I have an IM NUVO 30L. I have been thinking about adding a refugium in one of the back sections. My question is do small refugiums in small tanks really make a difference, or are you just adding more work on?

If they are beneficial with a small space is Chaeto the best way to go or something else? For example something that grows in stocks instead of in a clump.
I have a 32g AIO with three chambers in the sump area. My first chamber is my skimmer (Skimz SH-1), my second chamber is split into my filtration (filter floss, then chemipure elite, and Purigen), and my refugium, third chamber houses my return pump, probes, and dosing tubes. The refugium rocks!! I’m having to pull chaeto out every month bc it’s growing so fast.. I use a Kessil H80 as my light also. IMO you need to use a decent light! I used to run a JBJ nano glow with almost zero growth.. I’m very happy with the nutrient export that I can get out of it.. phosphates remain steady @ .02 to .05 and my nitrate never goes above .25 ppm
 

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I have an IM NUVO 30L. I have been thinking about adding a refugium in one of the back sections. My question is do small refugiums in small tanks really make a difference, or are you just adding more work on?

If they are beneficial with a small space is Chaeto the best way to go or something else? For example something that grows in stocks instead of in a clump.

Im nooo expert, but in the hobby for 25+ years now. I have never really seen a downside to a refugium with the exception of it being so small it really was not effective. That being said, just a space for pods etc to grow is a boost in some fashion as they are great at helping to keep a tank healthy via eating up detritus etc. I am a huge fan of algea scrubbers and dont need to run a skimmer or have much issue with nutrients when I have a healthy one set up. I do realize that probably wont work for you with your set up. If you set up a hang on back and put as much bio material as possible (talking rock rubble or the bio lux stuff etc, not bio balls or plastic stuff) It may be a good boost for beneficial bacteria. Or run it with just a bit of rubble in it (I would not do any sand in there due to size and nutrient getting trapped in it) and just run Cheato in it. Good luck!
 

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I have a 32 Gal BioCube with an In Tank Filter Column and Refugium Duel Setup in my middle Chamber (https://intankaquatics.com/intank-products/baskets/). My water is crystal clear, my levels are near 0, and I currently have 6 frags, 5 fish, and 6 blue leg hermits in the tank. 4 months in and I actually only do water changes, 5 gal, once a month mostly right after I add livestock at this point. I test 2x a week and haven't had a spike yet.

My first chamber is my mid tank intake and overflow intake, I have my heater in this chamber and a bubbler tube on a timer (3x 1-2 hour cycles through out the day), I can go into my reasoning on that more but it works well improving flow into the filter chambers near lighting changes and adds oxygen and removes some carbon.

My second chamber starts with the In Tank filer column, filter floss on top > MarinePure media > ChemiPure Blue, that then bottom flows past the second section with my refugium. In my fuge I have a single layer of MarinePure 1" Balls then chaeto. I run a simple $30 grow lamp that hangs externally off amazon, and a $3 plug timer from Walmart. That then flows into my third chamber which is my pump only chamber.

Overall, the fuge has it's benefits for my system. About once a week I take the chaeto out and shake it in the DT at the end of the night cycle to boost pods. I haven't had an algae problem yet, and my clowns seem to like chasing them which is fun to watch. But honestly my biggest boost in water quality was switching from regular media over to the Marine Pure. In the bag I put 3 layers of 1" Balls at the bottom with 2-3 layers of the small hex cubes on top. Water flow/backup greatly improved in my filter chamber allowing me to run my bubble setup, and I finally dropped that 0.25 Ammonia I couldn't seem to shake in the tank for 2 months. Currently running 0 on the full nitrogen set. Take it for what you will, but I find benefit in the natural filtration plus available pods, it was an easy setup for me, and I haven't lost a fish or coral yet due to water conditions (lighting and yumas is a totally different story..).

Hope that helps!
 

OM Reefer

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I have an IM NUVO 30L. I have been thinking about adding a refugium in one of the back sections. My question is do small refugiums in small tanks really make a difference, or are you just adding more work on?

If they are beneficial with a small space is Chaeto the best way to go or something else? For example something that grows in stocks instead of in a clump.
Go for it! A mini refugium will benifit your tank tremendously. I made one on my 20 gallon and it keeps my nitrate to nearly zero. Chaetomorpha will grow fine without flow.
 

muzikalmatt

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Absolutely a small refugium is worth it! I have one growing chaeto in the second chamber of my IM Nuvo Fusion 40 and it works like a charm. I was battling high nitrates for a while when I was using just a skimmer and water changes for nutrient export and once I installed the refugium nitrates dropped and stabilized around 2-5ppm. As others have indicated, the key is having a good light. I use the IM ChaeotMax but anything with good spectrum and PAR output will work.

Below are a few pics I posted in another similar thread.

Here's a shot of the back of the tank where I have the Innovative Marine Chaetomax light mounted to the back with the velcro it came with. You can see I removed the black "tape" from the back of the second chamber to allow the light to penetrate.
0212202225a.jpg


Here's me pulling the inTank media basket out of the second chamber to check on the chaeto. This chaeto started as a handful I got from my LFS and quickly filled up the chamber. It's extremely dense, very green and houses lots of pods, snails and other microfauna. I typically remove about 1/4 of it every couple of weeks once it fills the basket completely.
0212202225c.jpg


Here's a better shot showing how green and thick the chaeto is inside the basket.
0212202227.jpg


And here are a couple of shots at night from the back and top when the light is on. The light spillover isn't too bad and probably would've been less if I didn't remove so much of the black backing.
0213200559.jpg


0213200600.jpg


All in all I'm really happy with how this small refugium works. The chaeto grows at a steady pace and my nitrates and phosphates have been rock solid since it got going (~2-5ppm nitrate and 0.03-0.07ppm phosphate). I've definitely noticed my pod population has grown as well. At first I didn't think such a small fuge would work in an all-in-one tank but it absolutely does for me. Let me know if you have any questions about the setup and/or maintenance.
 

intricate_reefer

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I have the IM 30L and am growing chaeto in the back compartment using a Intank fuge basket and it works well. It has been keeping my nutrients where I want them and have been able to tweak it by adjusting the photo period. I’m using the cheatomax light which is kind of expensive but does work well. On my IM 25 lagoon I’m using this cheaper amazon light and it seems to be working good as well. If you do go that route make sure to get some 3M VHB tape to attach it to the back glass.

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mkwarner77

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I've got a 46 gl, added a hob fuge and it helped alot, built a small 10 gl sump w/fuge and improved alot
 

Ratherbeflyen

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I'll never set up another tank without some kind of algae for nitrate and phosphate reduction. Even a very small amount is better than nothing. Bulk Reef Supply did several videos on algae as filtration and worth seeing.

 

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