Fuge Newbie

[Waldohelpato]

I am researching into setting up a nano-reef tank and I have found these forums and a couple of books to be most helpful. I have a couple of questions though on fuges.

 

I am thinking that I would have at most a 20 gallon size tank and then below it, in a cabinet, I wanted to setup a sump and fuge. This way I get more stability in temp with more water and I get to have more of a natural filtration with the fuge. I imagine that from the main tank to the sump/fuge would be gravity fed, then after the sump/fuge there would be a pump. I was thinking the fuge would be before the sump tank. In the sump tank then would be heater, skimmers, and whatever other controls and test equipment for the water's needs.

 

Now my questions:

Is this alright to do, as oppose to a gravity feed fuge back into the main tank?

 

Is there a best size for a fuge for a tank of this size? Is there a required depth and size to ensure proper function in a fuge?

 

When going from a fuge to the sump, is this just a waterfall, or gravity feed connection?

 

Thank you for any helps and comments you may be able to provide me. Also thank you having this forum, as it has helped me as I am tried to browse through it when I have time.

[chvynva916]

Gravity fed to the fuge and pumped back up to the tank is fine, that's the way most people do it. It doesn't really matter that much, but consider what happens if the electricty fails. For me, I have my fuge/sump only 3/4 filled so if my pump fails it won't siphon out more water than I can handle into my fuge without a flood. You can go from the fuge to the sump however you want.

 

Also, a fuge really acts as a sump. You probably won't benefit much from the extra sump depending on how your fuge is designed. The extra water volumn is good because it increases stability, but remember that the more water you have the more you have to change and supplement and topoff.

 

Many people simply use a cheap 10 or 20g aga tank, put two baffles near the ends of the tank that extend about 3/4 of the way up the tank. That way the tank water falls into the space before the first baffle, overflows into the middle space (where the fuge is with LS, LR, etc), and finally overflows into the final space where it can be pumped back into the main tank. That's what I have.

[Waldohelpato]

For size of fuge is something that is only 6" dep OK, or must it be bigger like a normal tank?

 

I was thinking that a fuge could sit a top a sump tank so the size could be 12" by 20" by 6" or so. How does this sound?

[Crakeur]

if you are pumping water back into the tank from the fuge, won't the impeller shred any stray pods and other life that might be beneficial in the main tank?

[Waldohelpato]

That is a good question about shredding the life out of things growing in the fuge and sump when pumped to the main tank, will that happen? Will a pump that gets its water out of the bottom of the sump suck up the life forms?

 

Also why use a glass or acrylic sump/fuge? I see that many people have done that, but some of them seem expensive for just hiding it under or behind a tank. Why not use a Rubbermaid, or other plastic container?

[Crakeur]

you can use any container. people use the acryllic or glass so they can see inside the fuge.

[Masoch]

Impellers generally don't shred pods ... they're too small. Most pumps seem to be designed to let detritus and other small things pass through so that they don't jam the pump so easily.

 

Anenomes and small fish, however, are another issue entirely.