Question What exactly is the difference between a “sump” and a “refugium” (assuming there is a difference)? These are terms I didn’t hear in my 30-plus years as a freshwater aquarist, but I’ve heard them numerous times since starting my…
Eshopps Cube Nano Refugium is optimized for both skimming and natural filtration
The Eshopps Cube Nano Refugium is a dramatic new design concept from Eshopps which uses a novel approach to packing in a ton of functionality, into a very small volume. The diminutive little Cube Nano Refugium is a sump intended…
The Many Possible Purposes of the Saltwater Refugium
“Refugium” is a hobby term that resists easy definition. This is probably so because, unlike most aquarium accoutrements—heaters, powerheads, protein skimmers, lights, etc.—there’s no single, readily identifiable purpose for a refugium. Ask 10 different hobbyists what a refugium is for,…
Elasmobranch Enthusiasts (Part 3): Modern Husbandry – Filtration
From the ferocious great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) to the graceful white-spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari), Elasmobranchii are a diverse group of boneless fishes that are circumglobal, inhabiting a diverse array of habitats, temperature ranges, salinity, and niches in the…
The Many Means of Nutrient Export in Marine Aquariums
Dissolved nutrients. Sounds like a good thing, right? After all, every organism needs nutrients in one form or another in order to grow and stay in good health. So why are marine aquarium hobbyists—particularly reefkeepers—seemingly so fixated on keeping the…
Good Reasons to Use a Refugium in Your Reef System
A refugium is a safe haven for algae and invertebrates in a separate tank from the main display aquarium. These organisms provide some distinct advantages to the overall health of a reef aquarium. First off, the critters breeding in the…
Pick your algae color, Build My LED launches genius refugium LED fixtures
We usually stick with a simple 6,500K or lower light for our refugiums but Build My LED is challenging this point of view with its new line of custom LED fixtures designed with your color of refugium macroalgae in mind.…
Ixa cylindrus is a spooky purple crab for your peaceful refugium
Ixa is a small genus of crabs with very unique characteristics that separate this group from most other. The grooves that meander around the carapace are characteristic for this genus, and gives the crabs a jig-saw like appearance. The species above…
NextReef stick-on internal refugiums can also serve as fish condtioning vessels
The new NextReef stick on refugiums serve several functions, mainly as in tank refugiums, but we can imagine that they might very well serve as fish acclimation chambers. In the case that you don’t want to run your QT/ hospital…
Hongtam’s reef aquarium in Hong Kong takes the display refugium to a whole new level
The display refugiums is a neat concept in itself, but this display “refugium” takes things to a whole other level. This aquarium is not really a refugium at all since it lacks macro algae and the purpose of nutrient export,…
