What Does Refugium Mean

[black molly3]

sorry for all these questions but what does a refugium mean.i amreading up on mandarin's and it says you need a fishless refugium tank with live rok in. now when i get the tank i will have my nano free. anyway i think i sort of know what it means but i need confirmation and a bit of information
thanks

 

[shibby]

i believe its above the tank and connected to it, where you grow bacteria and what not so you have enough to go into your main tank wen u want im not entirely sure though ... someoneelse will describe it ebtter.


if u reli want a mandarin its best to find one that takes frozen foods, if theres one at ur LFS get them to feed it to see if it takes frozen or flakes ...

or wait 6months for all the food to grow on the live rock for it! what im planning to doo

 

[black molly3]

couldnt i just grow bacteria in my nano when there is n fish in there. i dont thik i ca wait 6 months realy not that im impatient or anything but i would prefer one that take frozen and live foods just to be on the safe side. i have also read that with a bit of training they will accept frozen and live plankton. so i hopefuly plan to do that.
BIG QUESTION
i want some live sand in my tank. i have been told that buying the bagged stuff is pointless because most of the bacteria will be dead on it. so should i/could i use the small gravel i have in my nano mixed with normal tropical bagged sand to make it grow into live sooner or later.
thanks

 

[shibby]

ive heard alot of people refer to live sand as a gimic, soon enough your sand will turn live from live rock!

you could grow bacteria in your nano, may have to research into it .... i may research into that as well actually since i want a spotted mandarin


if your really comminted i recon you could fidn one that takes frozen may take a while but there are some out there ! somewhere if u find alot tell me

 

[STD]

A refugium is usually a tank where copepods and the like can grow and flow back into the main tank

They tend to be above the tank so that rather than water being pumped back into the main tank it flow back

Hope that makes sense

 

[black molly3]

do i need a sump or protein skimmer if i want a refugium and where does the refugium go. i presume i do need a sump but once again just for confirmation

 

[adambrum]

Normally a refugium is an area within the sump where the little critters that manderins eat can breed in peace. try having a look at melvs reef it has loads of pics (google melves reef)

I think the best way for you to achieve what you want is to add a sump and wait several months for the tank and refugium to mature.

There are hang on back refugiums but from what i have read there no were big enough to supply the needs of a mandarin

 

[STD]

do i need a sump or protein skimmer if i want a refugium and where does the refugium go. i presume i do need a sump but once again just for confirmation

You can either have the refugium in the sump or above the tank

The problem with having it within the sump is that the return pump kills the critters

A sump is not necessary for keeping Marines but well wort while

I would definitely go for a Protein Skimmer

To keep a Mandarin I would set up the tank with live rock then wait 6 months before you think about intruding it

Also bare in mind that other fish will also eat the pods so you want a lightly stocked tank with non aggressive fish

 

[black molly3]

thaks everyone for that information but i may opt out of getting a manderin now as i will probs need a sump or protein skimmer and i havent even got a part time job. thanks anyway and could anyone answer the live sand question
i want some live sand in my tank. i have been told that buying the bagged stuff is pointless because most of the bacteria will be dead on it. so should i/could i use the small gravel i have in my nano mixed with normal tropical bagged sand to make it grow into live sooner or later.
thanks

 

[adambrum]

adding some of your old sand will seed the new sand and help it become live sooner than buying live sand and its cheaper

 

[SkiFletch]

How big is this tank you plan on keeping the madarin in?

Mandarins are gorgeous fish, no doubt, but as you've been told, rarely suitable for marine tanks. Even those with refugiums often struggle to provide enough pods in small tanks. If you really really really really really really really can't live without a mandarin, ask your LFS to feed a bunch of them and take the one that eats frozen foods. Even with that option I will not keep one in my 45, nor the upcoming 65 equipped with refugiums as I dont want to risk the poor fish's life. JMO

 

[black molly3]

i havent got sand in my nano its like small gravel. what i am saying is could i add that to my new tank mixed with normal sand whts already in a bag but its not alive its jut sand. thanks

 

[andywg]

The problem with having it within the sump is that the return pump kills the critters

It's strange how often this is repeated. Most people I have read of that do keep the fuge in the sump say the return pump does little to no damage to the pods as they are pumped back.

However, I find a nice small tank above the main one is a good place to put corals and algae and the like that require different conditions to the display tank as well as grow pods.