wet-dry to refugium?

[Kittysnax]

Can this be converted into a refugium?

[cichlid1409]

sure, just pull those bio-balls out.

[Kittysnax]

you think i should leave the sponge though? keep things seperate and whatnot? Id prolly get a new sponge....this ones like ancient and gross LOL

[rage]

Wet dry

I'd keep the sponge.
You will probably have chaeto or live rocks in the left section. The sponge keeps the debris or small strands of chaeto from getting into the return pump. I'd rinse the sponge out once in a while.

[Darbex]

sure, just pull those bio-balls out.

Why do you need to take out the bio-balls?

[Kittysnax]

the way i figured id try and do this is put the return pump and line where the balls are currently at. as for the in-line i would just have it dumping into the slanted side. Im not entirely sure what GPH i need to push this. I figure Id try to find a overflow box that is rated 3-600.

my return pump just says: Model 9.5B Utility pump. 115volts A.C/60hz/93watts/1.33 amps

no gph rating or anything...all i know is that and that it is heavy as **** lol!

if you know of any thing i could use to push this up to say...4-5 feet or so that would be nice. Like a brand or model number. If you know me, Im horrible with electricity and if I touch it....im dead LOL!!!!

[rage]

Why do you need to take out the bio-balls?

Bio-balls can trap detritus that eventually turn into nitrate. They are still ok if all you want is to convert nitrite to nitrate and remove nitrate with water change.

If you want to keep corals, you want to keep nitrate close to 0 at all time and the better media are live rocks. They have both the bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate and anaerobic bacteria that reduce nitrate by consuming the nitrogen and release oxygen.

You can also use macro algae such as chaeto and mangrove plants to consume the nitrate much like you use live plants for fresh water.

[rage]

the way i figured id try and do this is put the return pump and line where the balls are currently at. as for the in-line i would just have it dumping into the slanted side. Im not entirely sure what GPH i need to push this. I figure Id try to find a overflow box that is rated 3-600.

my return pump just says: Model 9.5B Utility pump. 115volts A.C/60hz/93watts/1.33 amps

no gph rating or anything...all i know is that and that it is heavy as **** lol!

if you know of any thing i could use to push this up to say...4-5 feet or so that would be nice. Like a brand or model number. If you know me, Im horrible with electricity and if I touch it....im dead LOL!!!!

A 9.5B pump is a Mag 9.5 pump and that is also the gph rating: 950 gph. Of course it does not count the head but you can look that up.

[Kittysnax]

thanks rage. I think that pump is a bit big then LOL!

[cichlid1409]

what size tank are you gonna set this up on?

[Kittysnax]

30g oceanic cube (not a biocube) i might just spring for a hob one though. i honestly dont feel like dealing with plumbing lol

[fshfrk]

Not a salt water guy but the fuge is the better way to go. pvc is your friend and easy. Get a smaller pump. Algea scrubber.

http://www.algaescrubber.net/forums/index.php

[rage]

sump

It's not hard to plumb a sump, a fuge to your setup, but you have to consider its purpose for it to worth the cost and effort.

A sump with nothing else and used to add more water volume to your tank sounds good in that the water parameters are more stable but why not just use a bigger main tank?

A sump with just some more sand and rocks serve little purpose for me either. Why not add that same amount of sand and rocks to your main tank?

In my sump I keep the basics: chaeto, mangrove plants, skimmer, heater.
My auto top off also connects to the sump so my replacement water gets to mix with salt water before returning to the main tank.

[cichlid1409]

you want the flow in your fuge to be slow to allow for nutrient uptake . i have a mag 3 on my 25g.

[rage]

you want the flow in your fuge to be slow to allow for nutrient uptake . i have a mag 3 on my 25g.

If nutrient uptake is the only concern, and you use a bigger return pump and have more flow, won't the water come back around quicker, hence the same contact time for nutrient uptake?