# Freshwater Refugium?



## rlking (Sep 8, 2008)

I am redesigning my fishroom. Going from 113 tanks to about 45. I raise fancy guppies and over the past several years have been adding plants (Java Fern & Java Moss) to bare tanks. I think it has really helped with algae problems and water quality. 

I am going to put in a central filter- don't know what kind at this point. Was wondering if anyone had experience with a refugium type filter- kind of like those used for reefs only for freshwater. 

I have two racks. The first has 11- 20 gal tanks and 17- 5 gals with three connected 50 gal tanks as a sump. The second has 7- 10 gals and 9- 5's with two 50 gal sumps. 

One of my ideas is to put in a NPT in the sump of the larger system. I have no idea what type of plants to use and if I should leave the lights on all the time as in a reef refugium. What do you guys think? Is this even in the realm of possibility? 

Thanks for any help.
Rod


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## pb300 (Jun 5, 2008)

I thought about doing this with my tank as I have an extra 10 gallon. Would give me a place to have shrimp and smaller fish that my killies would otherwise eat.
Don't see why you couldn't turn one of your 50 gal sump tanks into a refugium. It would work on the same principles of the reef version but with plants instead of algae and whatever they grow. If you went high tech though, fertilizing and co2 would be a pain.


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## rlking (Sep 8, 2008)

pb,Yes I agree that a hightech system would be a pain. I have moved this thread to the El Natural forum. Thanks for your reply.


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

I would probably try floating plants first, this way you won't need CO2 to get good growth speeds and you may be able to keep the lights on 24/7 once they shade the tank below them sufficiently...

I would think to compete with the efficiency of floaters you would need to go high tech...


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## lammp (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi, I agree with the above, there are some sewage plants that are prototyping the effectiveness of duckweed as a refrigium as well. So your idea is valid it seems since I doubt your tanks would ever get as bad as sewage ! If you're not concerned with looks, duckweed is the way to go. It sucks up nutrients super fast. 

I put it in all the tanks that I have algae issues with and it very quickly stops algae growth.


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## Sunstar (Sep 17, 2008)

high nitrate sucking plants like riccia, duckweed, salvina and other good floaters would work. my riccia is growing out of control in my shrimp tank without co2 and very minimal ferts. Also mosses. those are great nutrient sponges and crud collectors.


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## Alex123 (Jul 3, 2008)

rlking having the light on 24 hours a day is fine. Scientific study show that freshwater plants grow in proportion to the amount of light per day and do not need rest period. For refugium you probably want open top setup because the fastest grower are floating plants. The amount of nutrients absorbed are in proportion to the growth of the plant. And floating plants are many multiples faster at growing than immersed plants. Duckweeds are nice but they are small. Get the sewage plants as people mentioned like water hyacinth, water lettuce etc.


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