[adviner]

How often do you guys clean your refugium, if ever?

For my 55 gal tank. I have bio balls in my inlet area of the refugium. Now may water parameters have been great but reading around here, I hear people say remove them from a refugium and just use a protein skimmer with it. I currently dont have a protein skimmer so I just have my refugium and bio balls. Although my tank is doing well, i'm ready to move to the next level so that I can add corals to my tank. I only have 1 fish and maybe will be putting 2 more but really just want corals. So my questions are:

1. Do you have to clean out your refugium at all?
2. If my water conditions are good should I replace my bio balls with a protein skimmer?

Thanks

[jtravapd]

Originally Posted by adviner

How often do you guys clean your refugium, if ever?

For my 55 gal tank. I have bio balls in my inlet area of the refugium. Now may water parameters have been great but reading around here, I hear people say remove them from a refugium and just use a protein skimmer with it. I currently dont have a protein skimmer so I just have my refugium and bio balls. Although my tank is doing well, i'm ready to move to the next level so that I can add corals to my tank. I only have 1 fish and maybe will be putting 2 more but really just want corals. So my questions are:

1. Do you have to clean out your refugium at all?
2. If my water conditions are good should I replace my bio balls with a protein skimmer?

Thanks

2 things, i would get rid of the bio balls immediately...i was having red algea outbreaks and couldn't figure out why, as soon as i changed out the bio balls for rubble rock things settled down...once you do that, buy the biggest skimmer you can afford....i wound up buying a cheaper one, then having to spend extra money to get the bigger one i should have gotten in the first place...do those two things and i promise you will be happy in the long run...remember dont skimp on a skimmer, save up if you have to..

[adviner]

what type of skimmer are best:
1. Air
2. Venturi

I just read this article that air is better
Skimmer Design 101

[adviner]

What is rubble rock? Are you saying remove the bio balls completely and just put a skimmer their or put rubble rock?

[Bonneville08]

Hi again Eric,
The bio balls are usually considered bad news as they foster aerobic bacteria only and result in Nitrates. The rubble rock is just little pieces of live rock. If you have sufficient rock in the display tank, this may be optional.
As far as cleaning a sump or refugium, cleaning the detritus out every few months should suffice.
I am not a fan of overskimming, don't go cheap on the skimmer, but you don't really need a huge skimmer. Something rated at just greater than total sytem volume will probably do well enough. A skimmer rated at 75 to 120 gallons should be fine. You do not need a 200 gallon capacity skimmer IMO.
Look for a good venturi, air induction or other pump powered skimmer with a water pump capacity about 6 to 8 times the total system volume. This flow rate will be 99% effective at turning over the entire system in 2 hours. 100% is not achievable. So anything designed for a 500 gph pump should fit the bill.
Air driven skimmers are not so common anymore, they can be effective but the modern skimmers are better.
Good luck

[adviner]

Thanks for the information again. It helps so much. One thing I can count on this forum is help from other and since this is a very expensive hobby I want to do it right before spending so much money.

Again thank you for the very helpfull info

[Bonneville08]

You are quite welcome Eric. I understand the thanks go to all of us, but it is refreshing when someone closes the loop when you give advice. If you live in the valley, give me a shout via PM, maybe I could help if you needed it.
Russ