Clownfish in same aquarium and sump

Question
Hello again Jennifer. I really appreciate all your help. My Copperband Butterfly passed away before I could get it for treatment.  very sad.  My tank has a Clownfish (Nemo colored). I was wondering if I can put a Maroon Clown in there.  90 gallon reef tank.  if not, can I put more like clownfish in there? I know a pair is ok.  but is 3 ok?  
Also, I am building a refugium sump with a protein skimmer. I am trying to design it. what would be the best design? should the water go to the Protein skimmer then to refugium and return back to the take after some bubble traps.. i want to build the best sump possible.  thanks, Vu

Answer
Hello again Vu! No I would not recommend putting a maroon clownfish in any tank that houses another clownfish. I have one of these and I can tell you that despite her size she rules the tank. Maroon clown are one of the most territorial of the clownfish and they are also one of the largest. This combination is just bad news for any other clown in your tank. You may be able to get away with putting other "nemo" or percula clownfish in there but even these can become quite territorial with one another. If you are going to put another clown in there I would definitely recommend the same species and only one more. I think that if a pair bond is not established they at least have enough room in your tank to avoid one another.

As for your refugium There really is no one way to do it. It is all going to depend on what type of refugium you are planning to build. What methods of filtration are you going to employ? Berlin style method? Lots of live rock for your biological filtration? an over growth of algae in your refugium to help with nutrient transport? Are you planning on having an in-line protein skimmer or just the regular sump style?

I personally am very fond of using the refugium for housing various types of algae to use for nutrient transport. it also houses some snails crabs and a few shrimps to help control the algae a little. I maintain one of these at work and I can tell you the two tanks that this style of refugium is hooked onto are always crystal clear. They always test very low for nitrate and no algae grows at all in the main tanks. I have also cultured copepods to live in the refugium. There they can reproduce(they like to reproduce in the algae) and make their way into the main tanks to feed various creatures like mandarins and fish like that. Our protein skimmer is an in sump style and there is an area where the water flows into the sump, over a tray of carbon, through some large sponges for biological filtration then through an area where the protein skimmer is and then on into the refugium and back into the tank. I didn't personally design this sump it came premade with the system we have in our store. Only in the past two years did I change it from a regular sump to a refugium and what a remarkable difference it has made. There are many different ways to build a refugium and it is all up to you how you want to design it and make it your own. Do lots of studying on various systems and ask everyone you can their experience. Like I said there is no one right way to do this. You are going to want to build one that suits you and only you!