Exciting!

The lights of the century have arrived! DH (Dear Husband) will be hanging them this weekend. Then we will be ordering our base rock.

Right now this is the plan:
For the initial set up of a now 20 gallon long tank, we will be spreading the costs over some weeks. Right now this is $40 a week so you can see if you want to take longer setting up your tank it can conceivably be done. We have determined that $40 seems to be the sweet price for all of the equipment.

We also ordered an Aquaclear 70 powerfilter.

That will be converted into a mini sump and refugium.

Image from NanoReef.com

The above image is approximately what my refugium will look like.  In addition to the Chaeto algea (apparently pronounced "kay-toe" but I still call it a "cheeto"), my powerfilter will also house my tank heater and thermometer, a carbon filter, and a Mini Rio Sun led light from my Craigslist purchase .  I want to put my ammonia detector in there as well, but I don't think I would be able to see it clearly.  So that has yet to be determined.  I want to keep out as much equipment as possible in the display tank.

For all of you who are new to the hobby, you may be wondering, "What is a sump, a refugium, and Chaeto algea?"

"Won't it turn it orange?" on the topic of adding Chaeto before or after cycling at NanoReef.com

 What is a sump?
A sump is a secondary source of water for your tank.  Traditionally it sits in, lets say, a 10 gallon or larger tank beneath the main system.  This secondary tank connected via pumps and pipe to your display tank increases the volume of water, filtration, and aeration.  Therefore logic also dictates it can allow you to have a larger bioload.  But please don't overcrowd your fishies.


A sump also allows you to have an out of the way space for your filtration media.  Things like carbon filters, a refugium with Chaeto algea and more liverock, all of that can be put into the sump.  It can also house your heater, thermometer, protein skimmer, calcium reactor, all of the things you don't want in the tank people will see.  So it's pretty beneficial.

My Aquaclear power filter will only provide an extra 2.5 gallons.  I do not want a larger sump because of the extra expense and space.  But it will serve its purpose.

An example of a typical sump beneath the display tank.  From Setupsaltwateraquarium.com

What is a refugium?
Webster describes a refugium as an area where an organism can survive through undesirable conditions.  Like a house when a hurricane is coming through can be deemed a "refugium".
This definition holds true to a reef tank as well.

A refugium is a body of water separated from the display tank.  It is used to house organisms that would not survive in the tank.  For example, I also plan on breeding copepods to one day get a Mandarin Dragonet.  If the copepods were in the main tank, their numbers would be decimate by, not only the Dragonet, but by the other fish and crustaceans as well.  So, I need to have a breeding colony set aside to feed my fish.

A Mandarin Dragonet.  Hard to keep in smaller tanks due to feeding requirements.

A refugium also houses algae that are beneficial in natural filtration.  Chaeto algae is on of those.  Additionally the Chaeto acts a food source for copepods.  So, it's doubly beneficial to the tank.


What is Chaeto algae?
Cheato algea (Chaetomorpha linum) is a free floating fibrous algae that sucks nitrates and phosphates from a tank.  Nitrates and phosphates are killers in a system and need to be kept in check.  The algae is an active growing algae and can be kept on a reverse lighting schedule.  This means when my tank lights are off, my fuge light will be on.  This will stimulate growth in the algae and reduce the nightly pH fluctuations associated with reef tanks.

Chaeto algae

Can Chaeto algae be added while the tank is cycling?
This is a hot topic question.  The only conclusive answer is there is no conclusive answer.  Some people have had the algae live through the cycling and make it milder, others have had it just up and die off.  I will be putting mine in at the start of the cycle.  We'll see what happens.  It's about $5, so not too bad of a price if it dies.  If it does not make it, I'd probably just buy another ball of it.  But we haven't ordered the Chaeto yet, so we may change our minds.


Here are some links regarding sumps, refugiums, and Chaeto algae:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bcorsettingup/a/aa020298sumps.htm
http://rettalbot.suite101.com/what-is-a-refugium-a40610
http://www.reefchaeto.com/

Look forward to the start of the tank set up!  Plus a vendor review of ReefGeek!

Happy swimming!