Could a Refugium only filter work?

[the new reef kid]

The ratio is close to what I run. no skimmer on a 29gal DT. I change the filter socks twice a week, 20% water changes every two weeks, 4 powerheads cycling 4 times a day with two 2 hour tidal flows (left then right) and a 2 hour all on turbulent to keep the detritus from settling.

My NO3 tends to be around 1 ppm (I would like it higher) and my PO4 is 0.06 - 0.08 ppm consistently. I over feed since I have a mandarin in a small tank. My fuges only have cheato and need to be trimmed weekly/bi-weekly.

I do need to vacuum the sand bed with the water changes as I am still battling some nuisance thing (may be dinos, defiantly some cyano in there).

I have a mixed reef. at least 8 sps doing well (encrusting and coloring) even with all my tinkering physically removing the nuisance stuff.

I would not consider myself an expert (only 3 years experience) so I am only sharing as an anecdote. part of my decision to remove the skimmer is that IMO, nano skimmers aren't nearly as efficient as their bigger cousins, while water changes tend to be sufficient in nanos.

Thank you for your testimony

 

[Lonely reefer's]

hello I am building a 190 gallon reef tank tank with a fifty five gallon sump. I was wondering if it would be possible to make the whole sump a refugium and fill it with chaeto algae and around 75 mangrove trees. Would this provide adequate filtration

This can be done successfully as long you can keep bio load low
I have done it with a smaller tank.live rocks and water change

 

[the new reef kid]

Based on people’s testimonies I would say that this seems possible but it’s new grounds so trial and error will ensue

 

[Orm Embar]

I run a softy/LPS reef where all filtration is from some live rock and an LED lit refugium with chaeto. Is it possible? Certainly; I find this to be easy, cheap, and very effective. I don't know how much mangroves would add. For SPS, I'm less certain as I don't have personal SPS reef experience (and SPS don't do well in my reef, although I'm quite lax with parameters etc).

 

[Lonely reefer's]

 

[fish farmer]

Another thing to consider, the mangroves will grow up and out of the sump without pruning. They grow very slow in saltwater. Chaeto can conform to your space, refuge, reactor, spinning ball, etc. The mangroves will tak up a lot of verticle space and will eventually leaf and branch out essentially shading the area below them. You many need to light the macros and trees separately. Perhaps macros on one side and mangroves on the other.

 

[the new reef kid]

Alright I considered everything and I think I decided on putting the mangroves in the display and have a macro filter when I begin building processes I will make a build thread

 

[Matt Carden]

Beautiful that was what I had in mind but just flourishing with flora. I really think this could work very well if you spend special work on the setup

It will be full of Macros. Still cycling so I can't add anything yet.

 

[Alexander Lucas]

I've set mine up this way. Only time will tell if it succeeds like this.

Hiw did this end up going for you? Did it work?

 

[Matt Carden]

Still getting started.

 

[Jason04]

Thank you for your testimony

So have you attempted this refugium only tank, and if so? How is it doing

 

[Jason04]

Still getting started.

How is the tank doing?

 

[Matt Carden]

I'm in process of redesign/rebuild. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/matts-sca-150-repair-and-redesign.659967/

 

[Matt Carden]

To answer your question about refugium only filter, my first attempt didn't work out too well. I overfead causing PO4 to skyrocket over 10ppm. Part of that wasn't necessarily my fault because I was having difficulty reading NO3 and PO4 tests. Something still unknown was causing results apparently zero but I think something was reacting with the reagents causing them to be clear. By the time I could read results it was too late. Fish thrived but coral didn't do too well.

This time I will have twice the volume of the old sump plus I will be employing a zonal system with Cryptic, semi-cryptic, and semi-exposed zones. So hopefully it will go better this time.

I also learned to hold off on Wrasse. They devour the microfauna population. Also no Urchins until coraline has taken hold in the display.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I have actually wondered this as well. Like just a huge refugium.

 

[dominion813]

I was also thinking of pulling my skimmer out as well and doing nothing but macro for nutrient control

 

[najer]

Heater, return pump, powerhead (new Sunday, does it show?) and lights.

 

[rwreef]

My LFS does this and thier tanks look great. Just be careful...lots of things from the sump can make its way to the DT.

 

[BoomCorals]

Defiantly works. I have trouble keeping my nutrients high enough for my coral load. It adds a lot of interest to my dining room too.

 

[dominion813]

Defiantly works. I have trouble keeping my nutrients high enough for my coral load. It adds a lot of interest to my dining room too.

You have no skimmer in this but I mean look you have a dang tree growing out of it lol would my macro be sufficient