Refugium for 55 gallon reef tank

[murph213]

Hi everyone! I turned my 55 ga. f/w/ into saltwater around 9 months ago. Now I know I'm 1/2 assing it but all seem to be doing well. I still get nitrate at around 20ppm,which concerns me.
So, my question is how will a refugium help with a feef tank?
What equipment is needed? I don't have a water source close to the tank . Will this be a problem? I just want the best tank I can be proud of.
Thanks,
murph213

[stingythingy45]

Well murph,
As I'm sure you already know putting any kind of a fug. under a 55 gallon stand is pretty limited.
I've had a 55 gallon set up since July and have never registered nitrates.I even got a little worried that my test kit wasn't working so had the LFS check.
I don't thing 20 PPM is something to be overly concerned about.
Are you keeping up with water changes?
How much rock do you currently have in your system?

[Sk8r]

Get an entertainment center with doors and set it next to your tank: then you've got room for anything.

If you're keeping corals, you want 0 nitrates and absolutely no filter, no sponges; and if you're running a fuge it's a good idea to ditch filter socks, too, so the pods can go full circle of the system.

Fish don't perish of a little nitrate, but they'd rather not have it.

[cardiffgiant]

Space is tighhhhhht under there, huh? I have found that I can fit 10 gallon tanks, square buckets, and rubber maid 8gal dog food containers under mine. I positioned my tank slightly kitty corner so that I could fit the cannister and rdsb behind it. I house my skimmer in the 8 gal rubber maid, and overflow this into a 10 gal that is 3/4 refugium and 1/4 return chamber.

It's pretty ghetto, but the only way that I can find to filter a tank with such limited space below.

[murph213]

Thanks for the info everyone! Now that I'm thinking about it ,I'm using a bio-wheel (emporer 400). Should I take the filters and wheels off?
murph Ps I do have zoas

[Sk8r]

Zoas are more tolerant of nitrate than most any other coral but shrooms, and they like water a little 'dirty'. But what that filter is grabbing is stuff your zoas might use....certainly what your sandbed might use. If you've got smallish fish, 1lb rock, 1lb sand per gallon, you're safe to start phasing out the filter. Rather than take it all out at once, I'd suggest emptying it by stages of any filtration stuff but carbon [and change that once weekly] then phasing out the wheel. Mind, go cautiously: never startle a system with a big all-at-once change. But unless you have big fish, you should be ok to get rid of that filter and use it only as a carbon receptacle, if that.
THat in itself will lower your nitrate.
A refugium will supply pods and lower phosphate. There's nothing in the marine system except algae to my knowledge that likes phosphate. And you do have it if you have any algae growth.

[sfarid123]

Hi
Hope you dont mind me thread stealing, but I too have a 55g and would like to set up a refugium as well and hurting for space.

What is the minimum size refugium would you suggest to increase Pods and lower phosphates?

Also can you use a overflow filter (ie Skilter 400) as a Refugium?

Thanks