Reef Aquarium Refugiums

Refugiums offer the ideal natural solution for enhancing and maintaining healthy conditions in an existing aquarium. A refugium may be used for one or more purposes such as denitrification, nutrient export, plankton production, circulation, surface agitation, oxygenation or aesthetic purposes. One of the most efficient saltwater aquarium filtration methods used in saltwater aquariums today, they filter water naturally (dramatically lowering nitrate and phosphate levels) , they also stabilize water conditions (especially oxygen level and pH). Refugiums work on the principal of placing algae and other nitrate absorbing plants in the filter and providing adequate light for them to grow. Water flow through the refugium chamber is slower than through a normal biological filter. The algae remove organics, nitrates and other harmful chemicals from the water. As the algae grows, it is harvested and the harmful chemicals are removed from the tank permanently. Besides being the most efficient, natural way to filter your saltwater aquarium tank, aquarium refugiums provide existing aquarium inhabitants with natural food sources such as phytoplankton and zooplankton via the perfect media for the micro-organisms to flourish and reproduce. It is also a perfect acclimation tank for new inhabitants. When there is an aquarium refugium on a system, over a few months you will significantly improve your aquariums water quality.  The refugium light cycle can be operated opposite to the main tank, in order to keep the total system pH more stable (due to the uptake of acid forming CO2 by the refugium during its daylight hours). Refugiums may be set up either as a sump, under the system, or as a neighboring refugium, which is those set up next to, or nearby, an existing aquarium.