# HOB Refugium recommendations



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

So I'm tired of battling algae in my 30G tall. I'd like to try purchasing a HOB Refugium (don't have a sump) Can anyone recommend a good one and who might carry such a thing? I'm no a DIY kind of girl so that's not an option. I can barely put stuff together that comes pre-made.


----------



## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Tagging along


----------



## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*refugium*

Post your dimensions of tank ..so if some one has one they can msg u...


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

It's a 30G tall - with the footprint of a 20G tall so I think that's a 24" x 12". I'm running an Aquatic Life in tank skimmer and an Aquaclear HOB. I have three BTB anenomes, a pistol shrimp with a goby, two small clowns and a six line wrasse. The emerald crab I added has been of some help but not quite enough. The snails get killed by what I suspect are the blue legged crabs. Oh and I have a four bulb Aquatic Life fixture with brand new bulbs: two blue, one pink and one white...


----------



## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

Norman, do you just mean a regular aquaclear HOB? you can have my 110 for free when I shut down my tank in a few weeks?


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks Jiinx that's very kind of you! Did you modify it? I know the Aquaclears can be modified but not sure I'd manage... I was asking about the very expensive models already pre-fabbed offered up online.


----------



## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Norman said:


> So I'm tired of battling algae in my 30G tall.


Do not waste time and money. small size Reefusiom will not resolve algae problem. Identify the origins of the algae and deal with it trough water changes, etc.

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks Sig. I've tried... Funny thing is the 40G I have upstairs has very little algae. Less fish though and no coral... Just fish, shrimp and live rock. Tried to anenomes... They now reside in the algae ridden 30G. Story for another day...


----------



## NovaRaven (Aug 23, 2013)

sig said:


> Do not waste time and money. small size Reefusiom will not resolve algae problem. Identify the origins of the algae and deal with it trough water changes, etc.


Ya I second this. A HOB refugium is a waste of time and money. I even did my own HOB refugium with an old aquaclear complete with a little LED bulb and some chaeto algae. It did nothing for algae and nutrients, and my display then was smaller - a 12 gallon tank. If you did a HOB refugium for a 30 gallon tank, it'll be EVEN MORE USELESS.

But if you insist on trying, sure give it a shot, and keep us posted.


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm going to try it, it will probably be pointless but there's no harm in it. Found a used one on the forum. I suspect my issue is caused by my hap hazard light schedule. Need to pick up a timer. The 40G upstairs without algae problem has one. This tank doesn't and I tend to forget to turn the lights off on a regular schedule...


----------



## NovaRaven (Aug 23, 2013)

How long are your lights on in a day?


----------



## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Norman said:


> Thanks for everyone's input. I'm going to try it, it will probably be pointless but there's no harm in it. Found a used one on the forum. I suspect my issue is caused by my hap hazard light schedule. Need to pick up a timer. The 40G upstairs without algae problem has one. This tank doesn't and I tend to forget to turn the lights off on a regular schedule...


I can't speak for a HOB refugium but I can definitely agree that you need a regular controlled lighting schedule - your fish and corals will also benefit


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

My lighting schedule downstairs is haphazard. What do you all recommend? i only have some mushrooms (shrinking because of the algae) Clove polyps and BTA. I just cleaned the tank of the algae and will try to stick to a better schedule for the lights. The light has three separate cords for each fixture (two blues, the pink/white and moonlights are separate so a timer would work...


----------



## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

I have a basic timer you can have if you're ever in the area. One of those plug ins that you dial around.


----------



## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Jiinx said:


> I have a basic timer you can have if you're ever in the area. One of those plug ins that you dial around.


+1 to this posting from Jiinx

That's all that you need and you can buy these at the Dollar Store 
Nothing fancy


----------



## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Most important would be to get the pink white onto a timer and maybe keep them at 6 hours for now. Start there until you get the algae under control. Increase only if you see the corals not responding. Also get something that eats algae big time, like a sea hare?


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Crayon said:


> Most important would be to get the pink white onto a timer and maybe keep them at 6 hours for now. Start there until you get the algae under control. Increase only if you see the corals not responding. Also get something that eats algae big time, like a sea hare?


For some reason I can't keep sea hares alive. I do have an emerald crab that's eating away happily. I tried a tang but he didn't make it either- I think the other fish stressed him - or he wasn't healthy when I bought him. What sort of schedule would you recommend with the blue light? Should I turn them on for an hour before and after the pink/white light comes on? I'm pretty sure that's how my other tank is set up...

Thanks Jiinx for your kind offer. Hopefully you will sell me some of your rock someday?


----------



## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Yeah, I got my first sea hare on Boxing Day, and it never moved, never ate, turned white and started disintegrating before I pulled it out. But then other people here on the forum have no issues. Don't get it.
The blues are way more forgiving, but if your other tank is set 1 hour before and after, start there. Mine ramp up slowly for a few hours before and after, but I'm running LED and can control them differently.
Better to start safe, and slowly than too aggressively with a long light schedule.
Try a bristle tooth tang, like a kole or tommini. There's a whole bunch of them around right now. All tangs eat algae but I find the bristle tooth to be much more enthusiastic about it.


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Crayon said:


> Yeah, I got my first sea hare on Boxing Day, and it never moved, never ate, turned white and started disintegrating before I pulled it out. But then other people here on the forum have no issues. Don't get it.
> The blues are way more forgiving, but if your other tank is set 1 hour before and after, start there. Mine ramp up slowly for a few hours before and after, but I'm running LED and can control them differently.
> Better to start safe, and slowly than too aggressively with a long light schedule.
> Try a bristle tooth tang, like a kole or tommini. There's a whole bunch of them around right now. All tangs eat algae but I find the bristle tooth to be much more enthusiastic about it.


I tried a Kole tang, he didn't make it a week. I think my tank is at its capacity with the two baby clowns, Watchman Goby and Six Line Wrasse. Poor Tang probably didn't have a chance...

I tried both the lettuce sea hare and what might have been a blue sea hare. They dissapeared after a few days... the skimmer went nuts and that was that. I don't think it was the water quality as my BTA's do very well and I've had the fish and shrimp for two years now...

I'll try the light schedule tonight and will look for a good timer that can handle all three plugs. I'll still try the refugium I like to play (while hopefully not flooding my living room in the process). Thanks for your input!


----------



## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

Do you have room beside the tank? I am about to clean up, and sell my old fuge. It sat beside my sump, and drained into the sump. But it could be set beside the tank, and used to hold lots of rock! Just needs a powerhead in the tank to send water to it.

12x12x 20h. Three sides are black plexi, and the clear front has a black hinged door.

It will show up in the classifieds this week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

J_T said:


> Do you have room beside the tank? I am about to clean up, and sell my old fuge. It sat beside my sump, and drained into the sump. But it could be set beside the tank, and used to hold lots of rock! Just needs a powerhead in the tank to send water to it.
> 
> 12x12x 20h. Three sides are black plexi, and the clear front has a black hinged door.
> 
> ...


----------



## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

Norman said:


> Thanks Jiinx for your kind offer. Hopefully you will sell me some of your rock someday?


For sure


----------



## FrankS (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm going through the same thing and tried all of the above (...still no reduction in Algae. I've noticed that you can raise your Magnesium level using Kent Marine Tech M (depending upon the type of algae) or use hydrogen peroxide preferably spot dosed outside of the DT. I haven't tried this approach yet, but on the forums it looks like there has been some success.


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

FrankS said:


> I'm going through the same thing and tried all of the above (...still no reduction in Algae. I've noticed that you can raise your Magnesium level using Kent Marine Tech M (depending upon the type of algae) or use hydrogen peroxide preferably spot dosed outside of the DT. I haven't tried this approach yet, but on the forums it looks like there has been some success.


I've heard about the Magesium...have you tried it yet?


----------



## Crisis (Jan 30, 2012)

Have you considered an Turf Algae Scrubber, you can get more info here: http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?65-ALGAE-SCRUBBER-FAQ, I'm using an up flow ATS that I made myself, lots of plans online. 
Seems to work very well for me.


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Crisis said:


> Have you considered an Turf Algae Scrubber, you can get more info here: http://algaescrubber.net/forums/showthread.php?65-ALGAE-SCRUBBER-FAQ, I'm using an up flow ATS that I made myself, lots of plans online.
> Seems to work very well for me.


Interesting info thanks. I'm useless in the DIY department. Are there any good models out there that won't break the bank? I've got to google it some more don't even know what they look like... Are they large.

I've been running the HOB 3.5 gallon refugium for two weeks now. I have some lovely short green algae and that red stringy stuff and even a pink fungus looking thing and even something bright orange.

Phosphates are .25 according to the API test.


----------



## Crisis (Jan 30, 2012)

Norman said:


> Interesting info thanks. I'm useless in the DIY department. Are there any good models out there that won't break the bank? I've got to google it some more don't even know what they look like... Are they large.
> 
> I've been running the HOB 3.5 gallon refugium for two weeks now. I have some lovely short green algae and that red stringy stuff and even a pink fungus looking thing and even something bright orange.
> 
> Phosphates are .25 according to the API test.


The upflow scrubbers are very inexpensive, check out this video


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Crisis said:


> The upflow scrubbers are very inexpensive, check out this video


Thanks for the video. Unfortunately I don't have a sump at this point.


----------



## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I am gonna hijack this thread. I am also in the market for a HOB fuge. I am looking to have a refugium and some where I can stuff filter media as well. I like my macros but some of it I want to keep out of sight. 

Currently have a 10G but I may go a little larger. Where can I find them?


----------



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Sunstar said:


> I am gonna hijack this thread. I am also in the market for a HOB fuge. I am looking to have a refugium and some where I can stuff filter media as well. I like my macros but some of it I want to keep out of sight.
> 
> Currently have a 10G but I may go a little larger. Where can I find them?


I hear that people modify the Aquaclear HOB filters... Have you considered that?


----------

