First let me introduce myself, my name is James … from Milford, DE … was told about this forum from someone on facebook who lives in the area … looking forward to doing future business with yall… now on to my question …
so i got my skimmer today, i placed it in my sump, however there is not enough room with the filter sock holder in there … so either i get a smaller sock holder or i move the skimmer and move it into another chamber, however, i only have 1 chamber it will fit in, and thats in my refugium … …is the fug really needed? couldnt i just put cheato grass in the same chamber as the skimmer and do the same? … its either this, or possibly return the skimmer for a smaller footprint but much less power …
I do not ran a fuge at all, my sump is just a 200 micron filter sock, Skimmer, heater, return pump and reactor pump. All my export is done with water changes, GFO and Carbon.
A tank does not need refugium as long as you properly feed the tank and do ways of lowering nutrients.
The function of the refugium is to provide a refuge for small bugs and critters like pods and other planktonic life. The predators are in the main tank, so they cannot wipe out the bug population completely since a large part of it resides in the refugium. At the same time the refugium replenishes the planktonic populaton in the main system.
Also,for growing Caulerpa for the purpose of nutrient export.
If you don’t have room in the sump, you can also do a remote one if you have room outside of your tank. All you need is a small tank, pump and some how return the drain back to the sump.
Lots of ppl run a sump just for Sock/Skimmer/Heater.
I personally run it like Reefman mentioned. I have Sock/Skimmer/Heater/DSB/LR/LOTS of Cheatomorpha, and it keeps my Nitrates at zero while maintaining a healthy copepod/bug population.