refugium...

[dpotts]

I am setting up a new 90g with a 20g sump. The sump only has 2 chambers (the intake chamber from the tank and the return chamber with the pump) but I really wanted to add a refugium. Could I use the first chamber where water returns to the sump as a refugium or would there be too much flow there?

[jrsatx20]

http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/glass/index.html

take a look here. i think this is what u will need to do.

[dustint21]

If you silicone a 3'' piece of PVC with holes drilled in it to the floor standing on end, then run your overflow pipe into it. This will distribute the overlow so you dont have high pressure flow blasting into the fuge. This also allows you to put sand in the chamber, and gives alittle flow to help move the macro algea around. Just an idea, if you can understand what I am picturing in this crazy head of mine! LOL!

[dustint21]

This is kinda the same just alittle easier that the acyrlic box in the corner. Prolly cheaper too.

[Ping]

You could do it, but I would not. A 20g is small for a sump and fuge combo. When time and resources allow, you could set up a remote tank, plumbed into the system to act as fuge. Ideally, as a display that drains directly into the display.

I will try and post all the pics from the TMAC fuge lesson later today.

[dpotts]

I was afraid of that. After your talk on fuges at TMAC, I was pumped at the idea of adding one to my new 90g. The tank is in my living room so adding a whole other tank will probably not be possible...I'm very dissappointed about that! This is my first big tank (and only my second reef tank) so I guess this will be a live and learn experience!

[allan]

When I was building my tank I had entertained wild assumptions that it would be cool to build my stand with a viewing pane to see the algae and whatever other animals/frags that I would have curing down there.

I ended up with a 55gallon tank that I placed baffles in to separate the various sections. The fuge alone is about 30 gallons although I haven't measured it yet.

I saw a display fuge that was growing a very large (5' to 6') mangrove. It was basically a potted plant with a glass/acrylic pot. There were a few fish in there as well.

[dpotts]

What size should the fuge be? Would one that is 12x11x10(actual inches of water) be too small? What are the consequences of having a fuge that is too small? :bigsmile:

[texmex]

I plan on using a 10 gallon for my 125 when after the baffel is probally only about 8 gal for my fuge

[coraline79]

I plan on using a 10 gallon for my 125 when after the baffel is probally only about 8 gal for my fuge


You are going to want at least 20-30gallons for your 125. I have a 50 gallon fuge on mine.

[Ping]

Of course larger is better, but any sized refuge for the growth of plankton, pods, and macro algae is a benefit. Many systems only have room under the tank for a 10g or so glass or acrylic refugium. It was your sump that was too small to have a fuge included.

[Ping]

The sump has to be able to hold the equipment and power failure water.

[dpotts]

My sump has 2 chambers right now, one with my pump and a larger one. I was thinking if I put a divider in the larger chamber thus making it 3 chambers. The first chamber would be big enough to hold my overflow lines coming from my tank and my skimmer (chamber size-12W x 9.5L x 16H). The water would then flow over the divider into the 2nd chamber (12W x 11L x 16H) where I was thinking the refugium could go then flow over the divider into the pump chamber. When my tank is operating, the water level is at 10 inches and when I turn it off the water that siphons back into the sump gets it up to about 12 inches so I have about 4 inches of safety before it runs over. Would this not work? Forgive my novice questions but I'm learning as I go and your talk got me jazzed about refugiums!!:)

[texmex]

I don't see problem with it as long as you have some kind of trap to keep all you alge in the fuge and out of the return area if the power goes out

[dpotts]

I just re-measured my sump and it's more like 25g (30L x 12W x 16 H). I was thinking that I could use some eggcrate to keep the algae where it needed to be.

[jlh81]

i made one just like melvs reef but mine is drilled on the side and is gravity feed back to the tank works awsome

[brewercm]

I did exactly what you are talking about with the eggcrate but was still paranoid about small pieces making it through (more so because my top off is there also and don't want that to get tangled and stuck open). I ended up using eggcrate and on the one side I also used some sheets of needle point plastic stuff (not sure what it's really called) from Wal-Mart and glued it to one side of the eggcrate. So far this has worked out great and the whole package of the plastic from the craft section was just a few extra bucks.

[jrsatx20]

i put some of that same plastic needle work stuff to seperate my macro from the mangroves