HOB Ecosystem Type

[andyos]

Hi All,

I'm about to setup my newly acquired Trigon 190 :) and am thinking about filtration using natural methods rather than skimming....I don't really want to go down the sump route so I was wondering if the Kesh (ebay) Complete 600 Hang on refugium would be enough for the whole tank?

Size wise, seems to be in between the real Ecosystem 40 and Ecosystem 60 (40 and 60 gallon rated) and it comes with Caribsea Mineral Mud and Sand 50/50....It seems very reasonably priced at just under £60. Does anyone have any experience of just using a HOB on this size of tank?

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

Andy

[daveabbott007]

have been running the 700 on my rio 125 (3 mth old) tank for 1 month, added calurpa and then coepods - Nitrates were 40ppm when installed they are now ZERO! also there is loads of coepods and rotifers in there and the display tank. i dont have a skimmer

[andyos]

Dave, thanks for that, there doesn't really seem to be too many people trying to use a HOB as an ecosystem filter. I was reading a old copy of PFK (Jan 2007) and there was a reader's letter which was made into a feature by Tim Hayes and he suggested that her skimmerless Rio 180 could be filtered using a HOB with mineral / miracle mud.

Given that the refugium would benefit the tank anyway and the low cost I might just give it a try.

Any chance you could upload a pic of your 700 Dave? What pump are you using with it?

BTW, your not a plasterer from Dewsbury are you, only I know a Dave Abbott who is ;)

[daveabbott007]

Sorry mate, not got any pics (must take some and start a tank thread),
I used the HOB version for 2 reasons, 1st - I am hoping to keep a few seahorses, mandarins and a pipe fish - they all need live food and the HOB fuge allows for it to flow into the tank without getting chopped up in the pumps. 2nd reason is space, made use of dead space behind the tank and the heater is in there (seahorse safe).
There is a lot of chat about water flow through refugiums and speeds, i have a 750lph and it seems to be enough without being to much (i think HOB fuge works well when run at width (mm) in lph I.E. 300mm = 300lph, 750mm=750lph).
The only issue’s I think there might be is the consumption of calcium by the macro algae – I have noticed a drop in mine recently (now algae is growing at full speed) and heat, I have noticed my temp is rising slowly (have reduced fuge light to 18hrs a day and temp is settling down again) might consider switching to l.e.d’s (if I can find the right one’s for growing algae)

and sorry i am not the plasterer, but may be plastered a few time over the next few weeks!