Taking my refugium off line

[Silverni2]

I would like to disconnect my refugium from my system it's a 30 gallon breeder with deep sand bed live rock chaeto, rock has some mushrooms and sponges. Any idea how long it would be safe to do with a small power head lite and heater?
I want to see how my 120 display tank does without it.
Thx

 

[duke62]

Is something wrong with your system now? im a big believer in if its not broke dont try and fix

 

[Silverni2]

Is something wrong with your system now? im a big believer in if its not broke dont try and fix

I'm not sure if the system is actually doing anything to lower my nitrates.
Im thinking if I take it off line I can see if the nitrates go up or not.

 

[fishman1069]

Are your nitrates high now?

 

[Silverni2]

Are your nitrates high now?

Yes, nitrates run between 5 and get to 20 before a weekly 40 gallon water change

 

[fishman1069]

Wow thats pretty high and a quick rise. I had high trates on a 75 gal. I added a 30 gal fuge and they went down to 0 in a month. The fuge also helped alot with phosphates. Your high trates might be caused by overfeeding. Do you feed alot? and what do you feed?

 

[Silverni2]

Wow thats pretty high and a quick rise. I had high trates on a 75 gal. I added a 30 gal fuge and they went down to 0 in a month. The fuge also helped alot with phosphates. Your high trates might be caused by overfeeding. Do you feed alot? and what do you feed?

I do feet a lot! I feed rods food. I also have a very high bio load in my 120
3 tangs
2 triggers
1 wrasse
2 clowns
1 red hawk
1 green chromis

 

[Dre]

You have brought up a good point, over 10 years ago i disconnected my 33 gal refuge from a heavily stocked 125 gal fish only tank. In one week the nitrate in the 33 gal refuge fell from 30-0. Note:- no food was added to the refuge. 20ppm is not bad in a fish only tank. If your feeding heavily a 30 gal refuge is not going to make a significant difference at all. My observation indicate, i would have to stop feeding the tank for 4-5 weeks for the nitrate at fall to '0' pmm.. This was done many years ago when i was new to marine fish, important points maybe missing so please don't come after me.

 

[Silverni2]

You have brought up a good point, over 10 years ago i disconnected my 33 gal refuge from a heavily stocked 125 gal fish only tank. In one week the nitrate in the 33 gal refuge fell from 30-0. Note:- no food was added to the refuge. 20ppm is not bad in a fish only tank. If your feeding heavily a 30 gal refuge is not going to make a significant difference at all. My observation indicate, i would have to stop feeding the tank for 4-5 weeks for the nitrate at fall to '0' pmm.. This was done many years ago when i was new to marine fish, important points maybe missing so please don't come after me.

So your point is that if I feed heavily a 30gal refugium on a 120 reef tank won't help my nitrate export?

 

[Dre]

So your point is that if I feed heavily a 30gal refugium on a 120 reef tank won't help my nitrate export?

Precisely, You won't see any significant added benefits. You would need a refuge with 10-20 times the macro algae you have now. Check Paul B, he's working on reactors that would be a great help to you...

 

[Silverni2]

Precisely, You won't see any significant added benefits. You would need a refuge with 10-20 times the macro algae you have now. Check Paul B, he's working on reactors that would be a great help to you...

Thx dre
I will check into what Paul b got going on

 

[Imbarrie]

Any size macro fuge is better than nothing. However, for nitrate export a fuge will have to be bigger than most reefers realize. A 120 dt would need at least a 60 gallon fuge. Larger if you feed heavily.
Keeping in mind your fuge is still a nutrient sink even though it is smaller than a 60 gallon. I don't know why you would take it offline.
I added a 10 gallon fuge on my 75 and eliminated bubble algae.

 

[JonnyJ]

Is space an issue? Are you pruning daily or just letting it grow? You do need to prune for it to be effective.

I don't see why you would take it offline. I would personally keep it add a nice batch of mangroves with a 6500k light with an air stone along with chaeto and prune it weekly or biweekly.


My tanks are around 10-12 gallons in total and I have a 20 gallon fuge. I originally never pruned and it grew slow. The more i prune now the faster it grows. I prune and would never think to take it off line

 

[Dre]

Any size macro fuge is better than nothing. However, for nitrate export a fuge will have to be bigger than most reefers realize. A 120 dt would need at least a 60 gallon fuge. Larger if you feed heavily.
Keeping in mind your fuge is still a nutrient sink even though it is smaller than a 60 gallon. I don't know why you would take it offline.
I added a 10 gallon fuge on my 75 and eliminated bubble algae.

It's not the size of the refuge that is important. It's the amount of algae and plant life that is utilizing the po4, nitrate etc. that is important. I think...

 

[Dre]

People have been using algae to purify water for many years if not centuries and will continue to do so for many more. Here is one of the many algae scrubbers you can find on the web.

 

[Imbarrie]

It's not the size of the refuge that is important. It's the amount of algae and plant life that is utilizing the po4, nitrate etc. that is important. I think...

Yes. The larger fuge has more space available for this to take place.

 

[kenconnect]

Yes, nitrates run between 5 and get to 20 before a weekly 40 gallon water change

If you do take it off line you (IMO) will see even a bigger spike in it.. What kind of skimmer are u using that you have to do such a drastic wc every week.

 

[Silverni2]

Any size macro fuge is better than nothing. However, for nitrate export a fuge will have to be bigger than most reefers realize. A 120 dt would need at least a 60 gallon fuge. Larger if you feed heavily.
Keeping in mind your fuge is still a nutrient sink even though it is smaller than a 60 gallon. I don't know why you would take it offline.
I added a 10 gallon fuge on my 75 and eliminated bubble algae.

Thx for the info
I didn't realize my fuge was so undersized!
I will keep it and try to feed less

 

[Silverni2]

Is space an issue? Are you pruning daily or just letting it grow? You do need to prune for it to be effective.

I don't see why you would take it offline. I would personally keep it add a nice batch of mangroves with a 6500k light with an air stone along with chaeto and prune it weekly or biweekly.


My tanks are around 10-12 gallons in total and I have a 20 gallon fuge. I originally never pruned and it grew slow. The more i prune now the faster it grows. I prune and would never think to take it off line

I will start pruning I did not before
Thx

 

[Silverni2]

If you do take it off line you (IMO) will see even a bigger spike in it.. What kind of skimmer are u using that you have to do such a drastic wc every week.

My skimmer nac 7
I'm going to cut back on the feeding