Aquarium sump and refugium

I'm currently having a 8ft long by 4ft wide and 2ft deep freshwater tank built for me, which will include a 6ft by 2 ft sump. I've been doing some research into sump set ups and I've come across the term refugium. It's my understanding this is a tank within the sump where you can keep microalgae. How ever I'm finding it difficult to get information on what exactly macroalgea is. I was hoping someone here could give me some information on it. Also wondering if I would be able to keep shrimp in here as I've always wanted to keep shrimp.

 

I think with FW it's just a tank full of hair algae or string algae. And shrimp will definitely do very well in there

 

I think with FW it's just a tank full of hair algae or string algae. And shrimp will definitely do very well in there

So does it just help control high nitrates?

 

It filters water and can definitely help with nitrates

 

How ever I'm finding it difficult to get information on what exactly macroalgea is.

Kelp for example. This type of plant in a refugium is restricted to saltwater.

In freshwater it can be any plant taking out nitrates. I know many people that grow pothos on their sumps. Others have a big ball of mosses or hornwort in there. Of course that means the sump has to be lit. As it's independent of the main tank, you can just do 12 hour cycles for maximum nitrate reduction. Just remember to cut the plants from time to time.

I have no sump but use Pothos directly on the tank. It's often very effective if you want to replicate certain waterconditions.

 

Kelp for example. This type of plant in a refugium is restricted to saltwater.

In freshwater it can be any plant taking out nitrates. I know many people that grow pothos on their sumps. Others have a big ball of mosses or hornwort in there. Of course that means the sump has to be lit. As it's independent of the main tank, you can just do 12 hour cycles for maximum nitrate reduction. Just remember to cut the plants from time to time.

I have no sump but use Pothos directly on the tank. It's often very effective if you want to replicate certain waterconditions.

Ah right that's helpful, I'm planning on a heavily planted tank but with how much the tank has cost and the size of it, planting it will be a gradual and slow process

It filters water and can definitely help with nitrates

Ah right thank you

 

I'm planning on a heavily planted tank but with how much the tank has cost and the size of it, planting it will be a gradual and slow

Start with a decent amount of cheap easy fast growing plants in the tank and gradually replace them, but make sure you have the right plant mass from the beginning. If need be make cuts elsewhere.

If you planned heavily planted for the main tank, you can forget about the refugium. That would only be useful if you had big and/or many fish and no plants.

 

Start with a decent amount of cheap easy fast growing plants in the tank and gradually replace them, but make sure you have the right plant mass from the beginning. If need be make cuts elsewhere.

If you planned heavily planted for the main tank, you can forget about the refugium. That would only be useful if you had big and/or many fish and no plants.

Thank you for your help, I'm new to sumps my current tanks use canister filters. I'm trying to research it but everyone has different setups and ideas for them haha so I'm jot sure what's best

 

Id say an algae sump is more difficult than normal sumps. The algae can clog very easily, and there's also the extra utility bill of having an additional light down there.

I had an algae sump for about a year and it was okay. I had to pull out big mats of string algae every few weeks but no noticeable difference from just traditional filter media. The biggest problem was it would always clog the outflow no matter what kind of strainer I used.

 

so I'm jot sure what's best

There is no objective best. It all depends on what you want to setup and your other individual preferences.