Refugiums for freshwater?

[scottminot]

Why not? Anyone ever set one up for a freshwater tank? I'm in the process of setting up a 10 gallon refugium for my 75 gallon saltwater tank and was wondering if anyone ever set one up for a freshwater tank. Not sure what would be the best way to set one up, maybe a heavily planted tank plumbed into the main display? Any feedback?

 

[SirMinion]

For those who don't know, a refugium in a marine tank serves as a breeding ground for among other things, 'pods' - tiny critters that are vital food to some species of reef fish such as the Mandarin Goby which often will eat nothing else.
The pods multiply quickly in the refugium safe from predation then 'overflow' into the main tank where they colonise the liverock and feed the fish.
Refugiums are also often used as somewhere to grow useful, but unsightly macro algae which absorbs waste products.

In a freshwater tank there's nothing equivalent except maybe daphnia, which can simply end up clogging your filter.

Instead of a refugium, a plant sump like you suggest is a great idea.
This is set up like a refugium but is packed full of live plants under strong lighting. The idea is that as the water from the main tank passes through the plants, they 'eat' the excess nitrates, phosphates and metals etc from the water. With regular trimming of the plants, these contaminants are removed from the cycle.

 

[Mr Miagi]

A sump in a FW tank would consist of bioballs, a compartment for heaters, filter foam, filter wool, and anything else you wanted to add. You could use plants, but you would need to trim them, and remove the excess plant matter daily, or quite frequently for it to act as a decent nutrient exporter.

Its the same process and construction as your SW sump.

Most FW sumps mainly consist of compartments and material for mecahnical filtration, rather than rely on macro's and organisms.

Same princible though.

Also, SW sumps arnt used for just the production of pods. As alot of pods are killed during transport from sump to display if using a pump, and not gravity feeding. They also increase water volume, filter capacity, and remove "un-sightly" equipment etc for viewing pleasure!

 

[CFC]

Thats why he said refugium (as in a refuge for things to live) rather than sump . These are usually another smaller tank placed after the sump before the return to the main tank.

Another use for a refugium in FW is to grow algea which is very good at removing nutrients from the water (usually better than higher plants) but looks unsightly in a display tank, or to breed snails for use as food where they would usually be wiped out such as in a puffer or stingray tank.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Thats why he said refugium (as in a refuge for things to live) rather than sump .

DOH. Missed that small detail.....

 

[scottminot]

Instead of a refugium, a plant sump like you suggest is a great idea.
This is set up like a refugium but is packed full of live plants under strong lighting. The idea is that as the water from the main tank passes through the plants, they 'eat' the excess nitrates, phosphates and metals etc from the water. With regular trimming of the plants, these contaminants are removed from the cycle.

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Yes this is what I was talking about. A separate planted tank hidden under the main tank to act as a sponge to absorb excess nutrients. Or instead of plants I was thinking of using some chladophora aegagropila (moss balls) and java moss.

 

[yvez9]

i would just grow algea... cost nothing and it's very easy to keep Any light will fo, just leave it on for the better part of tha day. Not sure if algea needs darkness, don't think so though

 

[andywg]

I tried doing a planted sump to extract nitrates but the gas exchange of the sump system prevented the plants doing well.

Growing algae would be a great idea, and after it grows well, just harvest it and you have a great filter.

Not too sure if there are any smaller inverts you can grow in a fuge for freshwater though...

 

[Paul_MTS]

algae unsightly! i must have quite a system running in my tank, I have a nice thick mat of algae of most surfaces apart from the front panel of glass...and sand!

 

[CFC]

Another thought i had is to keep an army of filter feeding shrimps (cameroon armoured and wood shrimps etc) and maybe some FW clams to remove any sediment from the water, like a natural water polisher. If you had a UV on the return you wouldnt need to worry about the zoospores from clams attaching themselves to fish as they would be wiped out before reaching the main tank.

In fact i like that idea so much i might just try it!!

 

[Paul_MTS]

an army of shrimps and clams in my sump aye, sounds interesting.

 

[Ed4567]

Plus you can reverse light it (i.e. have the lights on at night) to keep pH and oxygen levels stable over the day.