'refugium' setup

[soggy]

ok, here's the deal. i've been reading up alot on refugiums and i decided i will need 1 for my tank. i know it might sound a little crazy, but i intend to set a little mini on in my ios. yes. as you can see in the picture, the compartment where all the ceremics and corals chips are, that's where i intend to build my little 'refugium' of sort. after much thinking, i've decided to fill the first compartment and the 2nd with sand, hence creating the dsb. the sand will also 'seal' off the opening at the bottom which leads to the skimmer compartment being the 2nd one. i will just fill the 2nd compartment till it's 'sealed' off. then continue filling the 1st one, till it's i dunno, 6 inches high? thing is, apart from the dsb, i don't know what else i should add. please advise. crazy as this sounds, i'd love to give it a shot. any comments will be greatly appreciated.

[SharkBait]

Hint for you-a refugium does not neccessary needs to have substrate. It all depends on the function you want your refugium to serve.Most of us would use it for nutrient export.

[Air]

ermm....where r u going to put the Micro algae? no MA no refugium

if u put it in any of ur compartment, u oning ur lights 24 hrs?

[soggy]

i've read that refugiums can do both filteration and nutrient export. and if the set up is possible, i will get lights specially for this to put across my ios.

[SharkBait]

A refugium can provide filtration if it has a dsb in it.In the case of your ios, the surface area of the sandbed is not wide enough thereby losing all the function of a dsb.

[Air]

A refugium can provide filtration if it has a dsb in it.In the case of your ios, the surface area of the sandbed is not wide enough thereby losing all the function of a dsb.

Deep SB mah also not WSB lol jk

[SharkBait]

Deep SB mah also not WSB lol jk

[Cleartank]

I suggest you read up some more on DSB b4 doing it.... Understand what you are doing 1st... I don't think its functional if water were to flow thru it... In that case, its no different from turning it into a sand filter.... cheers!

[SpiderOne]

think u need macro algae not micro algae. and u need 24 hr lighting or they may go sexual on u

[soggy]

ok, so the sandbed would do the filteration. very nice. then what about the macro algae? what am i looking at or for?

[Cleartank]

But it will not function as a DSB

Ill TRY to explain why, DSB have a bacteria that strive only where there are no oxygen.... these bacteria helps to complete the nitrogen cycle, namely converting NO3 to nitrogen.... By designing your DSB your way, the oxygenated water will be push from your 1st compartment to your 2nd and thus discouraging those bacteria to grow thus making the DSB useless in its function.

If you dun need a DSB you are fine but if you still want 1 then i think you gotto redesign it....

Can someone pls add to this if i am wrong thanks!!

[Marinefish]

U might want to consider the idea of 'In-Tank Refugium'.

Read up on it.