Refugiums for AIO

[DmitryB]

I'm setting up an AIO 49 gallon from IM. (While I await my 170.). I would like to set up a refugium for it for chaeto and copepods because I'm the future I think I'd like to keep a mandarin goby there. (Biota mandarin only so they will eat prepared foods as well.) Are there any good options for an "external" refugium? Has anyone set one up before?

 

[Saltyreef]

I'm setting up an AIO 49 gallon from IM. (While I await my 170.). I would like to set up a refugium for it for chaeto and copepods because I'm the future I think I'd like to keep a mandarin goby there. (Biota mandarin only so they will eat prepared foods as well.) Are there any good options for an "external" refugium? Has anyone set one up before?

I used a seachem tidal HOB filter as a fuge on an old tank. Just had to get some sceen for the discharge to keep the chaeto out.
On my biocube 14 i filled the first chamber with chaeto and it worked wonderfully as mechanical and biological filteration.
And on my IM 20, i use an intank media rack with the internals removed in the 2nd chamber of one side with the IM fuge light pressed onto the back. All 3 worked great with the first being the only true external style fuge.

 

[13rodo]

I'm setting up an AIO 49 gallon from IM. (While I await my 170.). I would like to set up a refugium for it for chaeto and copepods because I'm the future I think I'd like to keep a mandarin goby there. (Biota mandarin only so they will eat prepared foods as well.) Are there any good options for an "external" refugium? Has anyone set one up before?

On my IM15 I tried a couple things.

First was a small 3D printed one that hung off one of the baffles above the return chamber in line with the AIO flow. The issue with it was as the filter to keep the chaeto from getting into the return clogged, it messed with the flow into the return chamber, which triggered the ATO. It was more trouble than it was worth imo.

Second I used a hang on back media reactor with a dedicated pump, crushed rubble, and chaeto. This setup worked fine, but ultimately I decided it wasn’t enough for effective nutrient export.

 

[DmitryB]

I'm setting up an AIO 49 gallon from IM. (While I await my 170.). I would like to set up a refugium for it for chaeto and copepods because I'm the future I think I'd like to keep a mandarin goby there. (Biota mandarin only so they will eat prepared foods as well.) Are there any good options for an "external" refugium? Has anyone set one up before?

I used a seachem tidal HOB filter as a fuge on an old tank. Just had to get some sceen for the discharge to keep the chaeto out.
On my biocube 14 i filled the first chamber with chaeto and it worked wonderfully as mechanical and biological filteration.
And on my IM 20, i use an intank media rack with the internals removed in the 2nd chamber of one side with the IM fuge light pressed onto the back. All 3 worked great with the first being the only true external style fuge.

I'm intrigued by that last one. Trying to figure out how you had the light for it set up to keep from bleeding out? And didn't find it effective?

I'll be setting up one of IM UV sterilizers in one chamber, a media reactor in another. I could convert one of the remaining chambers into a Refugium if a) the light can be isolated (this tank is in my bedroom!) and b) if it is actually effective.

 

[DmitryB]

I'm setting up an AIO 49 gallon from IM. (While I await my 170.). I would like to set up a refugium for it for chaeto and copepods because I'm the future I think I'd like to keep a mandarin goby there. (Biota mandarin only so they will eat prepared foods as well.) Are there any good options for an "external" refugium? Has anyone set one up before?

On my IM15 I tried a couple things.

First was a small 3D printed one that hung off one of the baffles above the return chamber in line with the AIO flow. The issue with it was as the filter to keep the chaeto from getting into the return clogged, it messed with the flow into the return chamber, which triggered the ATO. It was more trouble than it was worth imo.

Second I used a hang on back media reactor with a dedicated pump, crushed rubble, and chaeto. This setup worked fine, but ultimately I decided it wasn’t enough for effective nutrient export.

It seems like someone should invent a decent one. I see there is one or two, but none get good reviews.

 

[13rodo]

It seems like someone should invent a decent one. I see there is one or two, but none get good reviews.

Ya I think the main issue with the AIO is you can’t grow enough volume to efficiently export nutrients. They keep pods for sure. But honestly my pod population has never struggled even with my pink-streaked wrasse hunting them. So imo it isn’t worth the maintenance.

If you’re keen on trying something 3D printed, I based mine off of this: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6166108 I did basically rebuild it to modify how the flow worked, but this was my starting point.

 

[DmitryB]

Ya I think the main issue with the AIO is you can’t grow enough volume to efficiently export nutrients. They keep pods for sure. But honestly my pod population has never struggled even with my pink-streaked wrasse hunting them. So imo it isn’t worth the maintenance.

If you’re keen on trying something 3D printed, I based mine off of this: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6166108 I did basically rebuild it to modify how the flow worked, but this was my starting point.

I'm primarily wondering about it for pod population to keep a Mandarin (not now, down the road once this tank is matured.) But if you say your population was good enough... maybe it will work out for me too! (I guess I can always just add pods from a bottle every month or whatever. There are certainly enough gadgets to fill into that overflow compartment already. (Sump, Media reactor, UV sterilizer + either a sock or a media rack with stuff in it.)