What is a Refugium?

[rmoro]

What is a refugium, what is it's function, and what are your experiences with it?

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Rocco

[Staceon]

Refugium is just that, a place for fluna and flora to grow undistrubed from predators. The idea behind is two parted. One to provide more food for the tank and second to work as excess nutrient exporter. I have had good success with kinds of different refugiums. From in sump, to gravity feed, to in tank, etc....

[Doh]

Hey Staceon, how did you get on with your in tank refugium? Was it a prefab? or did you DIY it?

I'm considering DIYing one myself - any input?

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"Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals. Except the weasel." - Homer Simpson

[Staceon]

Hey Doh,

A "in tank" refugium can be bought here:
www.inlandaquatics.com,

but that is a bit pricy. There is a cheaper one here by CPR:
www.premiumaquatics.com

Those are both pretty nice units that either hang on the side or suction cup to the side.

For the one "in tank" I use a "breeder box" found at wal-mart I believe. I also just throw a bunch of macros in one corner of the tank.

You can basically use anything that will hold water and not foul up parameters...plastic, glass, rubbermaid, all seem to work well.

[Doh]

Thanks Staceon, unfortunately I can't order from those places coz i'm in the UK [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]

It's a pretty simple design really, i think i may have one of those guppy breeding traps somewhere, should do the job.

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"Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals. Except the weasel." - Homer Simpson

[Staceon]

Your welcome.

[AquaNut]

Staceon hit it right on the nail...through the years though the term has evolved. Technically a deep sand bed can also be considered a refugium, an isolated garden of macroalgae...as Staceon replied, a place where flora and fauna are left alone for specific use as food source or nutrient vaccums. Although the typical refugium is a seperate entity, piped through your tank, a refugium can also be part of your display tank.



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