Fuge Question

[Kristy]

So we are new to having a fuge. We have our light on at night (just a regular pc bulb) from 10pm to 8am. We have a small koralia (nano size) to move the water and seem to be looking better now (some cyano when we 1st set it up).

My question is does anyone keep any critters or cleanup crew in their fuge? (snails, etc)

What are the benefits and issues with doing so? We have a small deep sand bed on the other side, so would not want anything disturbing that.

Any feedback would be great! Thanks.

Mike (& Kristy)

[Texreefer]

hmm sounds like someone missed the Fenner Talk.:). In short yes you can have those things in there. you generally want to keep any predatory type animals out of the fuge as it is a safe haven for any number of creatures that will benefit your main tank.. I must ask, other than the cyano problem. why the powehead? some of the flow from your return should be more than enough flow for your fuge

[subsailor]

Check out this link
http://wetwebmedia.com/dsbbiomakeup.htm

It talks alot about DSB methodology, IMO a dsb does need to be agitated, but it it does not need to be agitated by anything but the microfauna (worms,etc) Living in it. The best thing to do would be to seed it with a cup of sand from a local reefer. If you left it as is it would eventually become seeded, but it would take a while. In my refugium I have a seeded 6" sand bed and about 6 ceriths, 6 nassarius. and way to many pods to count. But do what works for you. that is the thing i have learned most about this hobby. What works for one may not work for another.

[Ping]

For a deep sand bed (DSB) to effectively complete the nitrogen cycle they need advection. This is accomplished with a medium to high flow over the sand bed. Random flow is best.

A vegetative fuge w/o a DSB can operate w very low flow.

A cup of live sand from a tank w/o sandbed predators and a small freshly cured piece of live rock will contain enough life to biodiversity to rapidly inoculate a sandbed with all the life a sandbed will need be self sustaining for a long time.

I do like to add some stomatella snails to a fuge as they will reproduce.

[coraline79]

You guys have seen my tiny little fuge, but it seems to work. I have 2 blue leg crabs, 2 snails, nd there are a few brittle stars in there as well. That is in approx. 2.5-3 gallons.