# Freshwater Refugium???



## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

Fill that sucker with moss.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Welcome to TPT! :fish: 

I'd fill it with moss AND shrimp... RCS and some of those filter-feeding shrimp like Bamboo shrimp roud:


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## jflng (Apr 5, 2007)

I read that running your refugium's photoperiod opposite to your tank's schedule is a good idea.


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## psybock (Jan 12, 2007)

If the main purpose of using a refugium is growing all sorts of algaes, would not using a high light on the refugium produce more algae in that than the main tank? However, if you put nitrate reducers in there would it not be more effective? Lava rock as a "live rock" scenario would up the bio capacity, mosses would suck the nitrates, as well as duckweed. Duckweed nearly takes over in a days time in tanks with high nitrates. Even riccia would work...just anything to remove nutrients from the water...just a thought...


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Kinda depends on your total tank setup. If the main tank is a fish-only tank, or has a high bioload, then maybe you'd want your refugium to focus on being a nitrAte-sponge. 

If your main tank is heavily planted, though, you may want the nitrAtes in the water column since they're an important plant macronutrient. Would be useful if your tank nitrAtes tended to run high, though. 

I think you'd have to be careful how to set up the refugium if you were dosing CO2 on a tank so you didn't outgas CO2 like some wet/dry or sump setups can.


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## diyer3984 (Jun 9, 2008)

Actually it came to me overnight... tell me if this is a good idea. A continuous hatch and feed with daphnia. The daphnia will be fed by bacteria in the tank and also from my own concoction. This way I should have an easier way to feed my fish live food. This would save me a lot of time. 
It will more than likely need some tweaking but i wont have to worry about culture crashes. 
O as far as light goes I would only use an LED light strip if I go the daphnia route. Or a 13 watt compact if I go the moss and shrimp route.


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## crabcake (Dec 19, 2007)

i have thought of trying this and establishing a daphnia culture in the refugium. the culture would probably do best if the refugium circulates with main tank just a few minutes each day. otherwise, the daphina would probably get washed out pretty quick.


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## diyer3984 (Jun 9, 2008)

AHHH, one who is on the same page as me. Well I countered that by only using a water bridge much like how an overflow box works. It is up and running. Only a few daphnia in it but that will change soon. I want to take some pic's but the whole thing in non transparent because I dont want to see the 24/7 LED light that is on. So pics would suck. If it is not a triumphant failure I will make the next one out of acrylic instead of a sealed Rubbermaid container. I will keep us updated and maybe throw in some pics just so you can get a better idea of what I am doing.:smile:


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## C2C (Apr 7, 2009)

ive seen these before...you should try this


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## Haagenize (Sep 30, 2008)

if it's for nutrient export, then your whole tank is basically a refugium :/

Although it would be fun to have shrimp like laura said when you have a dwarf puffer tank, or keeping your snails in it, that could work too


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

C2C said:


> ive seen these before...you should try this


What value would ocean mud be in a freshwater refugium?


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> Welcome to TPT! :fish:
> 
> I'd fill it with moss AND shrimp... RCS and some of those filter-feeding shrimp like Bamboo shrimp roud:


DITTO that! Angels in my tanks so no shrimp (except for dinner)
Did this with a 10g tank for a baby grow out off my main tanks filters and flow. Siphon fed it and sponge filter return power head to spray bar return. Worked great! Didn't light up the little tank though just used what was ambient. Just a little java moss in this old pic and less than dime size angels. (they are the spots in the tank)


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## Wicket_lfe (Aug 21, 2008)

I would love to see how your hang on looks. I wanted to make a hang on to put my heater in since i got rid of my sump. I had the perfect container from an old MAG hang on filter, but I drilled that for my sump so now I can't use it.


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## C2C (Apr 7, 2009)

airborne_r6 said:


> What value would ocean mud be in a freshwater refugium?


they have freshwater and from what it looks like on their website even koi/pond mud as well.
Oh and its not "ocean mud" its mud from some mountain.


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