My new Refugium

[Michael_Lambert]

so here we go .. Just installed and setup the new Refugium that i picked up from Harley today at the MASO meeting! Thanks a Million!!!

http://aquariacanada.com/PhotoPost/data/536/551Refugi1-med.jpg



http://aquariacanada.com/PhotoPost/data/500/551Refugi2-med.jpg

http://aquariacanada.com/PhotoPost/data/500/551Refugi3-med.jpg


Hand here is the return from the refugium, the refugium is being Fed by a Powerhead 301.. As i know most of you know a refugium does best with low flow!

http://aquariacanada.com/PhotoPost/data/500/551Refugi4-med.jpg

Just wante to tank Harley over at Acrylic City!

[Michael_Lambert]

Anyone know how much flow is best for a refugium? in GPH

[ajx22]

3 to 4 times your tanks volume per hour is the target

[Michael_Lambert]

For the Refugium??? I thought they used or wanted much lower water flow..

[ajx22]

Nope...3 to 4 times your tanks volume per hour...

Opposed to 10x (or more) your tanks volume per hour for the sump.

You can do less...but you are risking bouts with Cyano due to the slow water flow. I have a 40Gal refugium, and I am feeding it with a AquaMedic OceanRunner 3500 - rated @ 900GPH. I have it pushing water up about 4ft, and I have my true-union ball valve about 1/4 closed. I would estimate about 650+ GPH output.

220 x 3 = 660

So I am about on target.

[Michael_Lambert]

Well then.. Right now im only using a PH301.. So i will be drilling larger hole in it.. and Switch to a little giant pumpand do about 400GPH.. Just need to track down a larger Bulkhead.

[visor]

i am wanting to set one up .can i use a 10 gl tank

[afss]

I have mine set to be about 5-7 times the refugiums volume (not 100% sure on my pumps head rating). That would work out to 1.5-2.5 times the volume of my tank(90 gallon tank 30 gallon fuge). Seems to work well for me. I think in the case of a refugium it is better to error on the side of being slow.

I have to say that i disagree with basing the flow on the main tanks volume. The reason i say this is that if you have a 100 gallon tank and a 5 gallon refugium then you are going to have WAY to much flow going through that 5 gallon. If you had a 30 gallon, not so bad. Refugium flow rates should probably be based on refugium size.
AJ, using your analogy your 220 gallon tank turned over through the refugium 660-880 gallons per hour through your 40 gallon refugium this is a turn over rate of 16.5-20 (emptying once every 3 minutes) times turn over per hour in the refugium. This is much higher than what i would have thought to be acceptable. Am i not understanding something correctly?

Scott

[Michael_Lambert]

Yea, well right now i have i think a 15G refug.. lol, Will have to mesure it.. and im doing around 60G through it!

[Michael_Lambert]

So with the suggestions of some.. I decided to modify my Refuge alittle bit.. Now its 15Gs.. and i added a 1 inch hole and bulkhead.. alowing for much more flow..

and i also added a overflow box in it.. so that it keeps the water surface clear!

[ajx22]

Flow rates can be whatever works for you.

If you are looking for the fuge to mostly be a safe-haven for your pods...then less flow is better. If you are primarily utilizing it as a location to grow macro algae...then the flow can be a little faster. If you are looking for BOTH...then you will have to play around with your flow to find what works for you.

From all that I have read from the experts...a flow rate of somehwhere between x1 and x4 your tanks volume is what is targeted. I have a 40Gal as mentioned above...and even with that much flow...I still have some Cyano that will grow from time to time. So I have a powerhead in the fuge to move more water - but not to increase the flow through the fuge.

Just play around with the flow until you find out what works for YOUR tank. As we all feed different amounts, have different filtering systems, etc...the performance of the refugium will vary. What works for me in my 40Gal refugium...may not work for you with a 15Gal (considering all the variences and differences between our tanks).

I was just giving a suggested target area for flow...

YMMV

[afss]

No, no, i understand that you were only going for a suggested target flow, but i was wondering if maybe mine was a bit too low. I never have a problem with cyano in the fuge though. Having said that i have nothing but sand and macro in the fuge, and what isn't sand is macro so there really is not much room for anything to compete so maybe thats why no cyano.

As Aj said, what ever works for you. Slow for me, fast for him, somewhere in between for someone else.

Scott