Tropical Fish Forums

Marcos Avila

An interesting idea that popped into my mind while reading another topic is to create a freshwater equivalent of a reef tank's refugium...a small tank connected to the main one through a pump/overflow system. This way one could happily keep Java Moss and Crystal Red Shrimp (for example) benefitting from the large tank's water stability while keeping the tiny little shrimp protected from predation.

Has anyone ever heard of or tried something like this? A Google search didn't result in any interesting reads...
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dale · Advisors Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Location: Abbotsford Canada

Good question Marcos,
I also think another use for a F.W. refugium could be to house the heaters and diffusers etc... for a very clean looking display tank. Also one could add plenty of bio balls or ceramics to develop a very large Ben. Bac. colony.
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Marcos Avila

Yeah I think that type of use is more common, it's the type of thing people do when setting up a DIY wet/dry & sump filter inside a cabinet for larger FW tanks.

But I'm thinking more in terms of a "Display Refugium" placed beside/above the main tank...one that really stands out and is meant to be seen rather than hidden.
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ultra · Regulars Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: Essex, England

I know where your going with this idea. I like the idea of maybe a wet/dry area as well not only for a highly oxygenated area for beneficial bacteria but for crabs.

What else would be in the refugium?

Oscer · Exemplars Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Location: South Africa

I found these pics on my hardrive, but not sure where they come from.

I realy like it; I mean it's kind of a waste to just hide a sump when it can actually be another tank all together.
.
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number6 · Moderators Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada

My latest project is this...

Its a drilled tank with a non running aquaclear 500 filter on the back. Clip on 9W fluor. light like the ones on nano tanks. fluorite and sand substrate in the AC 500. stem plants, giant duckweed and java moss line the AC500

An Auto drip system using a clippard needle valve drips water into the FW refugium into the back bottom corner. Water will have time for the chlorine to then dissipate in the AC500 before passing through an activated carbon / ammonia removing pouch into the tank.
Tank is drilled and overflowing water heads down a nearby drain.

My thoughts, a FW refugium to de-chlorinate and purify the tap water and no more manual water changes....

I will be taking pictures... Wink

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nonamethefish · Moderators Joined: 06 Feb 2003

I've thought up a FW refugium a few times...in relation to culturing gammarus(scuds). Like you I didn't find much info on it though. This seems to be a viable idea worth looking into and experimenting with.
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Oscer · Exemplars Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Location: South Africa

Yes defiantly, if only for the filtration properties (doing less water changes being the main one) it's worth while
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Doosharm · Exemplars Joined: 12 Apr 2003 Location: New Hampshire

I recently went searching for info in this same subject and didn't some up with much. I found a few forums where the topic was brought up but no useful information was shared.

I was hoping to create a refugium capable of harboring scuds and daphnia that would feed into another tank which houses a pair of johnny darters. Although I have no real desire to make the refugium display-worthy, I will probably keep it on display anyway. Just watching daphnia swim around is fun enough for me.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for any information on people setting up and using freshwater refugiums and I'll get back to you. Until then, happy fishkeeping!

Dave

Quaid · Regulars Joined: 20 Jan 2005

This is OFTEN done with larger puffers on http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/

Fahaka puffers, for example, will destory just about anything and everything in their tank. Many of the forum members have a second tank that is heavily planted with different occupants, sometimes only some collector shrimp. They then have this second tank drain into the larger tank where a pump takes the water back to the second tank.

The second tank also lets puffer owners cultivate snails.

Same idea as those pictures from Oscer.