Skimmer Ref idea

[Joe Fish]

I have a bakpak 2 skimmer and I was wondering if I could put some of that chelo stuff in the return chamber? I would have to put a grate at the top so it wouldn't flow back into the tank though. I think you all refer to the stuff at chelo, but let me describe. It's the green stringie stuff that you can put in a sump or such to help with nitrates. I just bought a bottle of copepods and that stuff is in the bottle.

 

[1979camaro]

cheatomorpha aka cheato

it needs light to survive so you would need a way to light the skimmer i would think. you could probably just put it in the tank and let it grow there, trim it back when it gets to big.

 

[OCCFan023]

I dont have a bak pak skimmer but wouldnt putting stuff in the skimmer chamber mess with the air bubbles and its ability to foam?

 

[Lorna]

I think I know what you mean.....in the return chamber. Mine is clear and it would get some light from the main tank, I wonder if it would be enough.......Hmmmmmm I wouldn't want it to start to grow too much and reduce the flow back to the tank and back water up in the skimmer and cause an overflow??????? that would be my only concern

 

[Joe Fish]

I think i'm going to make a DIY ref area since I have some arcylic left over. Looking for something small though, then I could attempt to keep up a pod population. Would someone be able to point me in the right direction for a small refugium plans for either a hang on the back on in the tank?

What is the difference between a refugium and a sump? Which would be better? I have a 10 gallon tank I would like to use, but want the benefits of a refugium? One more.....How do you make a sump? Do you have to drill your tank? Or could you hook up a power head to pump the water out to the sump than a return pump?

 

[wayne]

The easiest way is to go look at some. The difference between a sump and a refugiium is that a sump is simply a remote tank to do things with equipment or whatever where as a refugium is an attached tank designed to grow a desirable organism that you don't want in the main display.
Drilling the tank is a good idea, though people here haven't had too many floods with their various overflow syphon designs. Two pumps cannot work without a heck of a lot of additional hardware - you can't get them in balance so you end up relying on an autotopup monitor - ridiculous

 

[Joe Fish]

I would like to get rid of the skimmer and put it on a sump, but I'm not goign to take down my tank to drill. I do have a empty 10 gallon, but I think i'll keep that for a QT. I have some spare piences of arcylic so I'm going to make a refugium to house some pods and such for my starfish. I read that I can just use a tub to return the water or have it high enough on the tank to have an overflow. Or I could just make it an intank version. Which is better, in tank? or HOB?