REFUGIUM IDEA!

[oceancube]

ok what yall think of this instead, im gonna have a new 45 breeder tank, what would be the difference of having a cpr aquafuge instead of drilling holes in my tank to have a sump under my main tank, just wanna know if there's a major difference, my 37cube tank is doing very good without a refuguim right now, i only have an emporer400 and a cpr bakpak2r installed!! just dont want to waste money on stuff ill end up selling, so give me your thoughts on this, should i do a hangon refuge or undertank fuge, thanks all for the help!!!

[Tim Marvin]

Under the tank, you can always use it for other purposes later if you decide to. By the way, I love my 45 breeder, good dimensions.

[matt]

Kaiser's kit is extruded; I just replied to his post. OTOH, $55 is a lot less than I paid for cast acrylic to build the sump for my 45 breeder....

I'd definitely go for an undertank sump, regardless of whether you use it as a refugium. You can add at least 10 gallons to your system, it makes water changes/treatments/etc much easier, and your tank will look way better without stuff like a heater in it and without the scum on the surface.

[oceancube]

hey all, ok i dont mind showing any heaters etc., what i really want to know is , will the macro algea and sand still do good in a hang-on, or will it live longer or something else in the undertank version??? bottom line, is the macro gonna grow the same in both setup's or will the undertank one do a better job???

[matt]

You'll have way more volume in an undertank refugium. The sand volume in a hang on fuge is almost nothing, unless those things are a LOT bigger than i think they are, in which case I'd be pretty cautious about the weight nahging on my tank.

[oceancube]

ok so what size undertank yall recommend, i was thinking 20long, and i still have no clue on a return pump size, ive seen josh's setup and i like it, but i just want to make sure it'll keep up with the waterflow from the main tank!!!! also would skimmer be better in tank or in the refuge? thanks again all!

[Tim Marvin]

Can you attach it to your other system? It would make water changes easier.

[TexasState]

I've been through both the sump and HOT refugium situation. I would go with the AquaFuge instead of the sump. You can stick your heater inside your CPR Bak Pak 2R. The AquaFuge will be much quieter. You will have to clean the pump on the AquaFuge out often to make sure it run smoothly. If you're going with the AquaFuge, you'll have to keep your fish load on the low side since you have less room for algae to grow.