New project idea, looking for some advice

[Mike7744]

Hi All
I have some space next to my tank, on the top of my refrigerator. I want to make a refugium in this space. Plumbed in to my tank. I don't want just a ball of cheto . I'm planing around 10 mangroves some substrate and macro algae. Also i would like some inverts as well.
My main tank a 125 fowler, can't have inverts in it. It's a predator tank.
I have a spare 15 gal tank, was thinking of drilling 3 holes installing bulkhead, 1/2" dia 1 for feed 2 for return. Wondering if i should feed from the sump up to the tank, and return back down to the sump. Or should I go from the display to the refugium tank and back to the display?

Any thoughts on what might be best?

Thanks

 

[tbrown]

@Fish Styx did similar with his Fuge.

 

[Fish Styx]

Both should overflow to the sump, and your return should be tee'd off to supply them individually. Ensure siphon breaks are in place.

 

[Mike7744]

Both should overflow to the sump, and your return should be tee'd off to supply them individually. Ensure siphon breaks are in place.

Thanks, could you post pictures of yours? So I can check it out.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Above tank refugium were the normal 20 years ago. The thought was any critters seeking refuge in it wouldn’t get chopped up when they get into the water column.

A mangrove forest DT would be awesome, deep sanded and rock rubble with a bunch of different macros

Refugium and macro algea tanks get mixed into the same category all to often now.

Refugiums used to have deep sand beds, lots of rock rubble, lots of dark areas for cryptic sponges ,and a good CUC. Produced pods, micro brittle stars, sponges etc.

I also keep live little neck clams in mine great filter feeders and sand sifters, I also feed them to my puffer.

Just run a pump to the refugium and over flow directly back into your DT or sump.

 

[Fish Styx]

Thanks, could you post pictures of yours? So I can check it out.

 

[PPBlimpy]

OK, That is Freaking Awesome!!!

I see a remote mangrove refugium next to my tank in the future. That is sweet!

 

[twentyleagues]

Above tank refugium were the normal 20 years ago. The thought was any critters seeking refuge in it wouldn’t get chopped up when they get into the water column.

A mangrove forest DT would be awesome, deep sanded and rock rubble with a bunch of different macros

Refugium and macro algea tanks get mixed into the same category all to often now.

Refugiums used to have deep sand beds, lots of rock rubble, lots of dark areas for cryptic sponges ,and a good CUC. Produced pods, micro brittle stars, sponges etc.

I also keep live little neck clams in mine great filter feeders and sand sifters, I also feed them to my puffer.

Just run a pump to the refugium and over flow directly back into your DT or sump.

Yup I had overhead fuges on both my displays for this reason exactly.

@Mike7744 the only issues I had with them over head and assuming they are set up correctly is the amount of micro bubbles in the display. While not really an issue it does cause salt creep. I used a small piece of acrylic to help stop it around the pipe.

 

[Mike7744]

Wow, that is freaking awesome.
Question, what do you use for your substrate?

 

[Fish Styx]

Wow, that is freaking awesome.
Question, what do you use for your substrate?

I believe I layered it using 7" oolite (fine grain) mixed with fuge mud (50/50), and then 1.5" of large grain (meso flake).

 

[PPBlimpy]

Yup I had overhead fuges on both my displays for this reason exactly.

@Mike7744 the only issues I had with them over head and assuming they are set up correctly is the amount of micro bubbles in the display. While not really an issue it does cause salt creep. I used a small piece of acrylic to help stop it around the pipe.

I am in the process of gathering equipment to mount a 11g bookshelf aquarium 32 x 8 x 10 on the wall above my 210g DT to run as a Pulsing Xenia refugium. Will have a 2" sand bed, and 3d printed rocks in the corners that will double as pots to plant 2 mangroves, I will throw some little neck clams in it, couple rocks and a CUC.

Maybe a pair of Cardinals or something but I don't really want to have to feed the tank since it will be up kind of high.

I am thinking about using my spare Dos to do 25G per day of water changes from my display tank. The tank will have a small wavemaker and 50W heater. Light will be a nothing special 30" long LED bar, probably a current usa or whatever I can find local.

I am hoping when it matures and full of xenia I will be able to measure the effluent returning back to the tank and see a drop in the normal parameters compared to my DT.

It will look cool, my last xenia fuge was hidden under the tank but was absolutely mesmerizing to the point I removed the stand door.