Questions on building a Refugium

[reefrunner69]

I haven't really kept up with this thread, but as for flow....I run approx 10-15 X per hour through my fuge, that's tank volume, not fuge volume. As noted you do not want turbulence, but I haven't noticed a problem having high flow.

 

[fishfreek]

The wet/dry can surve as a place to put your heater and skimmer. I would put the drain line going into the refuge like you show at first. This way the water current of the drain line wont overly disturb the sand bed in the refuge.

 

[loganj]

I remembered what I had read on the fuge flow now duh... It was an article in a magazine...don't even remember which one now. Anyway, the jist of it was that you wanted a lower flow through the fuge to allow the caulerpa more time to absorb the nutrients in the water. It made sense to me at the time, but now I'm not so sure. What do you think?
Logan J

 

[reefrunner69]

I think in a very large tank, that might be beneficial, but I have a small tank. The contact time with the nutrients in my fuge is very low, but because of the turn over, the contact time is constant, hmmmm. I also use a 3-4" layer of aragonite sand in my fuge, everything I've read says that the flow rate across a DSB should be very fast, hmmmm. I also do not use caulerpa, I use halimeda. I have tons of pods in the fuge, tons of pods in the tank, 0 nitrates, 0 phosphates and very little algae growth in the tank. I run alot of light on my 20, most would consider it overkill, and I over feed. I do not believe it is necessary to have a slow flow through a fuge, but in some cases it may be beneficial.

 

[loganj]

Hmm...that puts us back to "depending on your situation". I think the only absolute in this hobby is that you have to have water .
I remember reading that the halimeda needed a good supply of calcium. Have you noticed your calcium usage in the tank going up any since you added the halimeda? I might like to try some of it too.
Logan J

 

[reefrunner69]

Have you noticed your calcium usage in the tank going up any since you added the halimeda?

Not really. I have a high CA demand for such a small tank cause of the SPS I dose Kalk nightly (well almost nightly, I sometimes get lazy). The only time I noticed a drop in CA and Alkalinity was when I went 3 weeks without a waterchange. I increased the amount of kalk I add to the RO water to make up for any deficiency.

Halimeda doesn't grow as fast as caulerpa, but it isn't as prone to going sexual either, this was important to me cause my fuge is lit by the tank lights, it is not lit 24hrs or RDP.

 

[d9hp]

I understand what timbo means, but I think the wet/dry should be in the plan for the "cleansing" area and the fuge, should be just that and nothing more. I love your design, I think I will do the same eventually. Well, I want to keep this thread running, so how about some other things on the fuge. (lighting, inhabitants, and so on)

 

[Barney]

I am so glad I started this thread. I feel "educated" in a way being able to talk and share idea's.

Anyway, My understanding is I want to use the fuge as my filter. Unless I am thinking wrong. I plan to have 150 lbs of live rock, 100 lbs base rock. My lighting, still thinking, of either going with 2 250 watt MH or 3 175 watt MH. I do not have the glass top, it is replaced with egg crate. The thinking of 2 250 MH, I have a 2 foot middle plate glass used to support the middle of the tank. Remember my tank is 180 gallon. I thought it was a bad idea to have light over a glass plate since it would reflect some of the light in other direction, instead of getting all of the light toward corals. I know the end two sides will have good light penetration, but I'm doing some researching on the middle part, where the glass is in place.

 

[d9hp]

I understand the fuge filter, I mean the wet/dry as the skimmer, other media if you have any, and then your heater, in the fuge you will have macroalgae and LR and LS

 

[fishfreek]

I am so glad I started this thread. I feel "educated" in a way being able to talk and share idea's.

Thats what we are all about. If you ever feel you cant share your ideas or questions on this site then we have a serious problem.

 

[Barney]

Thats what we are all about. If you ever feel you cant share your ideas or questions on this site then we have a serious problem.

Very true.

Since this topic seems to have slowed down on the point of discussing fuge... Should I open another topic on lighting? I explained my lighting setup I am planning but not sure of. Seems to be several conflicting option on the glass issue when using light of specific spectrum and it's penetration.

 

[loganj]

That's what I'd suggest Barney. Start another thread on your lighting and that way, if there are more questions/observations on the fuge, you could post them here. This will keep the two from getting all mixed up. Since you seem to be up on electricity and DIY, we might cook up something affordable using off the shelf stuff that wasn't intended for aquariums . I love to fool with stuff like that. I have good insurance though and there is an emergency room close by .
Logan J

 

[d9hp]

Well, you said you were moving and you would set up the tank there, so how long until we have some pictures

 

[Barney]

My goal is to get everything in my mind and set for setting this up. I will be moving and by the time I will have it completely put together sometimes in August I hope. What I am doing is getting mentally prepared to be ready to have everything.

 

[d9hp]

Ok, so then you will have another half of a year's time to understand that you are about to spend a lot of money, and be a happy man with a wet/dry, 180 gallon tank, and a 55 gallon fuge. Sounds good to me.

 

[Barney]

Exactly, I want to do something that is new in the field of saltwater husbandry. It would be beneficial to be wise than being a spender.

 

[d9hp]

I think your tank will be wonderful, what can planning and asking tons of questions to Aaron and Kevin (people who have experience) do wrong. I really like all of your topics so far, make a few more!