Seeing this photo brought back a flood of memories and sparked my interest in sharing my experience.
In this article, I want to share my experience.
A refugium, or refuge, is an area of a reef marine aquarium dedicated to the development of algal, invertebrate or bacterial symbionts. This extra room has many advantages for health of the aquarium and the robustness of the system.
A refugium can be created in various ways. It is, in most instances, an independent tank or part of the main aquarium, linked to the main aquarium through a water delivery system. Water in central aquarium is circulated through the refugium with live rectangles, sand, and extra organisms such as macroalgae, cope”ods or other ecologically relevant organisms.
In my particular arrangement, I had a refugium linked to the main tank, installed up high so that the overflow would flow down into the main tank and provide a food source to it.
Water flow is also crucial in a refugium setup. In theory, water coming from the top tank into the refugium should allow the organisms in the refugium to purify and treat the water. The water is then discharged back into the main tank, and the whole process is over. This current flow ensures both that the refugium has optimal access to nutrients and oxygen and that detritus does not build up.
There are many reasons why somebody may wish to add a refugium to their reef marine aquarium. To begin with, the refugium has both a role in reducing the amount of nutrients in the primary tank by creating substrate on which beneficial algae can thrive and in the process “feast” algae and bacteria, thus taking up nitrates and phosphates that are abundant in aquariums. This can be used to do the prevention of the growth of an unwanted algae in the main tank.
Secondly, the refugium can also serve as a refuge for beneficial invertebrates, such as copepods or isopods, that can provide for maintaining aquarium cleanliness by grazing on detritus and algae.
The refugium, at last, can serve as a habitat that will support the breeding and growth of species that can later be fed to fish and corals in the main tanks(s).
When deciding if ecosystem a refugium fits your setup, it is worth thinking about the size of your aquarium tank (how much space is available) and your aquarium’s inhabitants (what specific needs they have) first. The volume of the refugium should increase proportionally with increasing volume of the main tank, typically within a range of ~10-20% volume of the main tank. Using an appropriate volume of water flow and an appropriate spatial arrangement, an appropriate volume of water flow, it can be made and provide an appropriate environment for the growth of the organism.
From a lighting standpoint, a particular light spectrum may be advantageous for the refugium in contrast to the main water tank. However, the main tank can only benefit from high light intensity to promote the growth of corals, while the refugium can flourish under reduced light intensity. This can be done by specifically designed lighting elements or setting the brightness of existing lights. During my experience I applied a photoperiod opposite the photoperiod of the main tank. And I got a lot of benefits.
Incorporating a refugium in your reef marine aquarium can provide numerous benefits for the overall health and stability of the system. It can be applied both to reduce nutrient levels, to provide a safe niche for desirable species and as a food for the primary inhabitants of the aquarium. However, careful planning and management of the refugium is necessary in order to ensure that it is effective and transferable to the particular setup.
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