Sumps and Refugiums

[f1504b4]

My LFS tells me that I am trying to make my LRFO aquarium I want to set up more like work than a Hobby.And I don't need a Refugium,or an RO unit that I have allready bought.
I can see and I think I am starting understand about saltwater but I am confused about all the differant ways to go about it and the set-up to do it right?

[wwest]

Am i understanding this currectly? The LFS is saying you are putting to much work into your FOLR tank and that they dont agree?

[f1504b4]

Yea I think Skip is telling me that.

[wwest]

Well in a way you dont need stuff like that for a FOLR tank, however if you plan on adding coral in the future then it would be best to have stuff like that. Now the R/O unit in my opinion is a good buy for any tank so im not sure why they dont like that idea. But its completly up to you what you want to do with your tank.. so i wouldnt worry about it.. IME

[Stevej72]

RO/DI water should be the norm in any tank from fresh to reef.

Skimmer, I ran My FOWLR for 2 years without one, and 1 year with one. The fish were less stressed and looked / behaved healthier with the skimmer. Not to mention the inverts lived longer (go figure) and the tank just looked cleaner without the protein film on the surface and the cyno on the sand.

Refugium, I never ran one on my FOWLR. I also never got my NO3 below 20 ppm and I was heavily stocked

These are not "needed" to have a saltwater tank. There is more work in setting up and maintaining all the "extra" parts. But in the long run they will make for a healthier more stable tank.

[f1504b4]

Hi Steve,
I agree with you on the RO uint,I am going to start useing it for my girlfriends 30 gallon Community Tank.
I am setting up a FOWLR Aquarium.
I have the 75 gallon glass aquarium allready.It had Aficran Chilids in it.
Yea I got my first tank,the 30 gallon that is my girlfriends now, and went from Community to semi aggressive to Africans in a 75 gallon tank.
I like helping my girlfriend take care of her tank and learn about freshwater aquariums,and to tell you the truth after reading all that I've had time for about saltwater,it has made me pay more attention to that set up as far as water changes and feeeding,just doing it right if you know what I mean because it's so easy to not pay attention to that 30 gallon fresh water community tank.
Guess what I'm trying to say is that with setting up my FOWLR aquarium everyone you talk to tells you something differant .

[JeffDubya]

My LFS tells me... I don't need a Refugium, or an RO unit that I have allready bought.

IMHO any LFS owner or employee that tells you that you don't need RO/DI water is a complete idiot. Sorry... that's my opinion. Sue me.

You don't NEED a refugium. Would it make your tank better? I can't think of one negative, but I sure can think of many positives.

It's advice like this that makes people nutty about LFS advice. GRRRRR!

[Stevej72]

Yes they all tell you something different.

I had a deathco (petco) employee trying to sell me some Biozyme to get rid of cyno. He said "I have a 100 g. reef and it keeps my rocks as white as snow." Well there is nothing true about that. Biozyme is not going to kill cyno (and if it did it will come back till you fix the problem) And it wont do anything to coraline. (not that you want it to)

Another place told be not to bother checking the PH because the crushed coral substrate will adjust it naturally. and "You don't want sand in your tank unless you like cleaning up fish poop every day." and every time I would ask about something the "saltwater guy" would walk me over to the additives and say "This is what you need"

The best thing I can say is post questions we all love to put in our .02 and read others questions then go with what makes sense and is working for others.
Ok Im done now.

[Jarhead]

Best Thing I can tell you is use the refugium - it will give food to your fish - period. I have found when trying to find an LFS, find one that also does aquarium maintenance. USUALLY they tend to be a little more knowledgeable than just some guy that got a job at a store and is trying to wing it. Good Luck.

[JustDavidP]

Look... whether setting up a true "Reef" or some other kind of system, your goal should be to create as close a "biotope" as possible. Regardless of whether there are corals in your tank, your fish are derived from areas where differing habitat can be found. The various types of habitat (reef, mangrove, marsh, lagoon, etc.) help to create a truly complimentary system whereby symbiotic relationships assist in overall stability of the system.

A refugium is a wonderful idea. It will not only provide refuge for pods and such that can become food for a Fish Only system, but it also adds additional water volume to a system and that NEVER hurts.

A sump gives you the same added volume, plus gives you a space to hide ugly filtration, heat and other equipment therefore making your display more asthetically pleasing! To boot, you can add meds, buffers, water or other "things" in a sump and allow them to mix properly before entering a display. This helps eliminate "swings" in the water that could adversely affect your critters.

Yes, RO/DI systems are a "must" in my opinion, regardless of the type of system you have.. UNLESS..your local water is "pristine" and I highly doubt that. More and more municipalities are using chloramine and other nasties in our water. Yuckola! Yes, that is a scientific term :)

I say, the more "naturally functioning" a system you build, the better off you are..and the better off your fish, inverts etc. are.

Dave

[Raggamuffin]

Sorry but have to butt in a bit myself.

I believe the question was does having a refugium and RO unit create more work?

The answer is YES! .....about 10 minutes extra on clean ups for the refugium and unless you have a constant hook up with the RO maybe 10 minutes there every few hours to fill buckets change containers every couple weeks. This adds up to a WHOLE hour per month, maybe an hour and a half. What it saves you is beyond measure just in the health of your tank and the beings you keep in it, let alone the monitary savings of mixxing your own water, less additives and, and, and (I really could go on for awhile.....).

I think the choice is a simple one :)

[JustDavidP]

:) Ahhh... it all depends on your configuration. My RO/DI system is plumbed into my house and has an Auto Shut Off Valve or ASO. I use float switches and barrels and have two, 20 gallon barrels FULL at all times. From one barrel, I have another bulkhead and quick connect line that goes to my sump and a Kent Marine float valve. It is my auto top off. The only time I need for that system is time for testing TDS and changing filters.

I don't mess with my refugiums except to prune back macro.

D

[JustDavidP]

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