'Fuge Schematic-Tell Me What Ya Think

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 12:01 AM

Ok Fellas. This is the design I have for my fuge. Critique it and dont be nice. Let me have it. The gph of the pump and overflow are tba. Skimmer is going to be an Aqua-c Urchin Pro 350gph.

aussiereefer82 · 06-18-2005, 12:36 AM

Can you make the pic a lttle bigger, its a little hard to see.

craigGP · 06-18-2005, 01:08 AM

remember that all evap water will be missing in the return pump chamber only. if you don't have an auto topoff planned, make this chamber large enough that it can go a few days without running dry. the baffles only need to be as far apart as you hand is thick so you can clean in there if necessary. aussie is right, a larger pic would really help...

craig

Loverotties · 06-18-2005, 08:08 AM

Yea hard to see whats whats like the white area after the return is that the skimmer I guess!how big is this sump?

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 08:46 AM

bigger pic coming right up

PBearslax36 · 06-18-2005, 09:47 AM

Is this better?

aussiereefer82 · 06-19-2005, 07:10 PM

Bigger pic is heaps better!! The fuge/sump looks pretty good to me, i'm just gunna bump it up for you so the experts can see it. Might want include some dimensions or a size.

tims · 06-19-2005, 07:36 PM

This is your 20 long tank you are using right?

the sponge's will they be removable to clean?if not you can add a lip to that baffle if youare going to catch micro bubbles. As craig said keep a good eye on the evap.
also you dont have to use the mircile mud if you dont want to. Live rock with a noraml "shop light " will work fine for lighting. Dont forget you will have to harvest your Macro algae from time to time. you can trade that in at the LFS or if you have a reef club down there..
dont look too bad!

tims · 06-19-2005, 07:38 PM

oh also the hieght of your baffles shoudl be the same high or lower..meaning if the 1st baffle is 5 inches from the top then the 2nd shoudl be 5 inches off the bottom..etc...( using 5 inches as just an example not ment to be actual size)

PBearslax36 · 06-20-2005, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

oh also the hieght of your baffles shoudl be the same high or lower..meaning if the 1st baffle is 5 inches from the top then the 2nd shoudl be 5 inches off the bottom..etc...( using 5 inches as just an example not ment to be actual size)

i will do it, but why do you have to do that? there must be a reason and i am curious.

PBearslax36 · 06-20-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

This is your 20 long tank you are using right?

the sponge's will they be removable to clean?if not you can add a lip to that baffle if youare going to catch micro bubbles. As craig said keep a good eye on the evap.
also you dont have to use the mircile mud if you dont want to. Live rock with a noraml "shop light " will work fine for lighting. Dont forget you will have to harvest your Macro algae from time to time. you can trade that in at the LFS or if you have a reef club down there..
dont look too bad!

how would i do the lip, do you have a pic?
what does harvest my micro algea mean? like cut it?

tims · 06-20-2005, 04:37 PM

PB,
by keeping the baffles the same height off the bottom adn from the top you keep the water maintanied at teh same level. by adding more baffles you casue more time for bubbles to escape adn not reach the main area for the return.your water level over al will be told by the return area,unless you use an external pump..

the flattened area can an extra piece of glass or acrylic glued, you can still use the sponges but you will have to clean them,

harvesting the what you are planning on growing in the refuge area will come in to play and you will want to export excess nutrience form the tank. as your cheato or clupra. grows it will need ot be "cut back" it is goe sexual and starts to reproduce gratly you can en up having a maintank full of it.

this will give you an idea of where i am coming form.

PBearslax36 · 06-20-2005, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

PB,
by keeping the baffles the same height off the bottom adn from the top you keep the water maintanied at teh same level..

So if my 20 gal long is about 12.5 inches tall, how high should I make the baffles?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

by adding more baffles you casue more time for bubbles to escape adn not reach the main area for the return..

SO this is good then? The more baffles the better?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

the flattened area can an extra piece of glass or acrylic glued, you can still use the sponges but you will have to clean them.

I still need to see it to understand it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

harvesting the what you are planning on growing in the refuge area will come in to play and you will want to export excess nutrience form the tank. as your cheato or clupra. grows it will need ot be "cut back" it is goe sexual and starts to reproduce gratly you can en up having a maintank full of it.
this will give you an idea of where i am coming form.

I read it. Did you want me to understand why we cut it back? Cause the only thing I learned from it, was that I could cut back the excess and feed it to things in the main tank.

autochek · 06-20-2005, 07:15 PM

Depending on the type of macro you use will determine how much you will need to cut back. Culerpa tends to grow rapidly. It will run across the bottom of the refugium and grow into the rocks. Over time it will grow tall enough to hit the top of the water. This is when you need to cut it back below the water level. I give mine a haircut and keep it about 2 inches below the water level. Caetomorpha grows slower and tends to look like a green piece of steel wool. It to will get into the rocks but not as bad as culerapa.
What I don't like about chaeto, is that when you tear some out it tends to take all the pods with it. I't sooooo tight that they can't or wont shake out.
As far as feeding it to the tank. I wouldn't drop any in the main tank. Some will eventually end up behind your rocks and start growing. If this happens you could end up with a tank full in a short time. A refugium is not only for nutrient export,but as the name states it's a refuge. This is for things to be able to grow without the pressure of getting eaten by the fish. Over time yours will have many creatures living in it and some will inevitably get sent into the tank via the return pump.
Don't be too afraid of doing it. remember this will be your first try. The basic design is good. I would move everything in the picture to the left a little more. This will allow more water in the pump chamber for evaporation. Another thing, you will build it and love it. Then in 6 months theres probably going to be something you want to change and then you will be doing it over again. This is a hobby that is always changing. For me thats half of the fun.
JMHO
Tom

tims · 06-20-2005, 07:22 PM

tom sumed the macro up.
the baffles the more the merry is not alway true you can add them done the line if you think you need to. since you want to use the sponge to help stop the bubbles ( micro) then you can stay with the # you have already.
i would take a lok at how 3 -4 inches look in the sump. the height of the baffle will also tell you how much water you tank can hold shoudl you lose power and the main tank starts to drain into . I will have to look at the calc. that greg has on the sump article to figure out the exact numbers..

'Fuge Schematic-Tell Me What Ya Think

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