Can you have too many Fuges?

[DocFrye]

This may be a stupid question, but here goes....

Can you have too many refugiums on a single tank?

Here is my situation. I have a single oportunity to buy items from a pet store distributor at an insanely low price. I decided to go with a 30 tall with a Coralife Aqualight Pro (280 watts combined MH & CF) and I ordered 3 AC HOBs (2 AC300 and one AC500.) Now I already have a nice 18 inch HOB fuge, but I plan on adding at least the AC500 and probably 1 AC300 as lighted fuges (this is 3 fuges on a single 30 gallon tank.) Is this too much? Am I crazy? This will sit on my desk in my office, and all 3 (or4) fuges will be completely visable - this is the effect I am going for. I will Paint the back and probably both sides of the tank, so the front will just show off the mini reef, but each other side will have its own lit refugium and system of critters in it. What do you all think? Beneficial? Overkill? Just plain crazy? Or... it, as I hope, going to make for an intersting centerpiece on my desk that can be enjoyed from 4 different points with 4 totally different views?

 

Thanks

 

 

__________________

[DocFrye]

Oh, I dont know if it matters, but I will mostly be using Coralife Aqualight Minis ( http://bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xm...ategory_id=2543 ) to light the fuges, but Might throw in a Jalli.

[Tigahboy]

There is no such thing as too many fuges. =) In my opinion, the more the better. And in the alternative, the bigger the better. I think any nano-tank (especially since they are usually less than 40g) would benefit tremendously from the added volume of water (stability in water params and temp) and all the benefits of macro algae like chaeto and a deep sand bed (something that may look unsightly in a main display, but can still be maintained w/ all its benefits in the hidden fuge). The only thing that determined the size of mine was the tank stand in which it would be situated. So 20g was the largest that could fit. If i had room, I would've added a bigger one for sure.

 

Only potential "problem" w/ too many HOB fuges is how it looks. But if you do not mind (or in fact you strive to achieve) the look of a tank w/ many HOB fuges, then there should be no problem.

[Tigahboy]

What do you plan to grow in the fuge? Chaetomorpha? Most fuge-destined macro algae do not require much light at all. Many even find that the lights that spill over from mh in the main display is more than enough to see some nice chaeto growth. My fuge is in my stand so it gets pretty dark and not much light spill-over...but I only use a cheap 15w NO fluorescent light fixture I got from Target/home depot. And that alone was enough for tremendous growth in my macro algae.

 

See here for growth pics: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...8588#post378588

 

I don't think you will even need those lights since your MH's will have plenty of spread and spill over into your HOB fuges...but you could always buy them anyway to be safe and sell them if you find that enough light from your main fixture spreads over into the fuges. I think having all fuge lights on w/ your main fixture may even wash out the nice blue tint from your mh 20K (if you plan to get that bulb) and actinic PC's. But can't be 100% certain until you actually set it all up. It will depend on how high you plan to raise your mh fixture and other factors.

[DocFrye]

Tigahboy, I appreciate all your help. You have been very helpful in the forum as well as PMs.

I guess the next question is whether or not I should paint the back and sides? I think I should so you don't see the extra hardware and cords etc. from the main view of the centerpiece - the reef itself. Painting the sides will also allow me to run the lights on however many fuges I eventually set up for 24 hours without effecting the photoperiod in the main tank. (The fuge lights will sit upon the fuges and should not affect the main tank.) I have already ordered the lights for the various fuges, but I can cancel before Friday. I also recieved an extension on when I can add to my order while recieving the discount until tomorrow. So if anyone out there can think of a MUST HAVE item, please tell me ASAP!

Okay, to explain my situation... one of my employees is opening up a pet store in town focussing on aquatics. She recieves 40-65% off her initial order from one distributor, and has agreed to offer me this discount. (So this is 40-65% off WHOLESALE.) Her order must be completed by tomorrow. This specific distributor does not carry every manufacturer out there, but I am taking advantage of items from AquaClear (Hagen,) Seachem, Energy Savers Unlimited, Marineland, etc.

If you know of a wonderful item you would highly recommend, please speak up now.

 

Example - I think that DOW Scrubbing Bubbles (will remove red wine from white carpet) and Oxy-Clean, are two amazing cleaning agents, and I have nothing but good to say about them. This has nothing to do about reefs, but I still like these products.

 

Thanks for reading,

DocFrye

[nalbar]

get them if you can get them cheap, even if you dont use them right away. AC filters are expensive and quite useful. not all have to be fuges, one can be for carbon or phosphate pads. its not a bad investment.

 

another thing to pick up is extra heaters of various wattage. heaters are another expensive item that you ALWAYS need spares. i prefer visio.

 

you cant go wrong with extra AC filters and heaters.

 

 

nalbar

[Tigahboy]

I agree about using one for activated carbon and other filter pads...I like chemipure activated carbon. Rowas phos is good for phosphate pads and Polyfilter is great filter pads as well. Just some examples in case they carry those brands.

 

Unless you are doing an in-wall project where you can only see the front wall of your tank, I personally wouldn't place them on the sides (as a fuge or as a filter w/ carbon, etc) and would not want to paint 3 of the 4 sides of my tank. I'm assuming this is what it might look like:

 

Even if you painted the sides, you can still see the filters outside on the sides...this looks a bit awkward in my opinion. I would try to place all equipment either 1) in the back of the tank and paint the back panel black (or whatever color you prefer)...

 

or

 

2) Get the tank drilled for holes so you can move water from the main tank down into a standard (cheap) glass tank hidden below the table/stand/desk. The tank can then house all your various filters. heater, deep sand bed, chaeto, etc. The water is then returned back to the main tank just thru two tubes to serve as the primary flow within the main display. So basically your top tank would be free of any equipment. Standard below the tank sump/refugium set-up. Oh, but still paint the back of the tank black since it helps bring out the colors of the corals w/ the contrast. And it hides cords that will hang over the back from lights, etc.

[DocFrye]

Okay, so I plan on adding a couple of heaters to my list. I want to grow non-sexual macroalgaes and pods in each fuge, but I will also add nice looking Live rock and live sand. I will probably try to add some small delicate creatures to at least one or two of the fuges.

 

Tigahboy, your diagram looks about right. I know it will be strange looking (top-heavy) but I really want to be able to see what is going on in each fuge.

 

I planned on adding the ChemiPure and Pads to each fuge before the first (and sometimes only) baffle. Is there a reason I shouldn't do this? Thanks a lot.

 

David

[louisxyz]

I'M a newby so flame me if I my question is stupid, but would'nt 2 AC300 and 1 AC500 would created to much Flow for this size tank. Also, even with the flow reduce to the min, it is still creating quite a flow and the flow hit directly the front glass. I learned that a reef need a lot of water circulation, but oppose to a powerhead, the flow from the AC cannot be directed somewhereelse in the tank.

Thanks

[DocFrye]

The flow to the AC fuges will be quite reduced. The AC300 impeller will be replaced with the AC MIni impeller. The AC500 will be attatched to the Aquaclear surface skimmer and its impeller will be shaved down if necessary. Also, remember that one fuge will be on each side of the tank except the front, so their flow will run into each other and cause turbulence. Furthermore, the tank will have 2 or 3 Mini-jet pumps to get the right amount (and directional) circulation.

 

David

[Tigahboy]

louisxyz. You're won't get flamed. haha. But like Doc mentioned, flow will be reduced and should be since fuges need to have less flow so chaeto and little critters will be undisturbed and can grow.

 

Doc, sounds good to me. We won't know exactly how it will work out until it's actually up and running. Adjustments might have to be made, but that's actually one of the fun part about this hobby.

 

I don't see any probs w/ your plans and you seem to have sufficient flexibility to add or take out things if necessary; the benefits of buying multiple pumps, fuges, and lights. =)

 

I think just 1 chemipure and pad is enough for your entire tank in my opinion. I do believe there is such thing as "over" purifying the water since it will take out bad stuff, but potentially also good stuff. So while I am honestly not 100% certain that placing chemipure and pads in front of every fuge will have detrimental effects per se. But I do know that 1 is sufficient for the entire tank. Some critters and chaeto (which is your best non-sexual macro) will benefit from some "raw" unfiltered water from your tank as well. But I'm not absolutely certain of this.

 

By the way, do you plan to have a protein skimmer? I know you said you can get CPR brand....so a CPR bak pak may be a good investment. Unless of course they have Aqua C Remora w/ maxijet 1200 available. There are many who say you don't need a skimmer, but just as many who will argue that one will go a long way to having optimal water conditions.

 

Good luck w/ the set-up, DocFrye!

[DocFrye]

Well, my equipment was delivered today!!!

 

I have discovered a few problems with my initial plan.

 

First - I need to find somewhere that carries the hanging kit for my lights, because the Aqualight Pro will not fit on my tank with the fuges. So I need to order the suspension hardware and hang the lights from my ceiling.

 

Second - Just in case anyone is wondering.... An AC500 will not fit on a 12 inch side wall. The back is taken up by a 18 inch acrylic refugium - so I decided to take the AC500 out of this project.

 

Third - Tigahboy is right about the tank looking cluttered with 3 fuges. I decided to go with two. The 18 incher on the back and the AC300 hooked up to an AC Surface Skimmeron the right side.

 

I painted the tank tonight and looked over all of my equipment. Tomorrow I will set up as much as I can and take some pictures.

 

David

[Tigahboy]

Everything seems to be coming along great. 2 fuges will be plenty anyway, so no big loss by ditching the third...Can't wait to see the pictures!

[DocFrye]

I set up my new 30 gallon this weekend while fighting the flu. I took some pictures of it and both fuges (one of which I planted six mangroves in.) I don't know how to post photos on a thread, but they are in my gallery if anyone is interested. Thanks so much for the advice.

 

David

[Tigahboy]

I saw the pictures, DocFrye. Very nice! And you have a lot of space in your tank for corals. My only suggestion would be to add maybe more LR. Since you have a lot of vertical to work w/. You will be able to add more corals if you have the rocks go up higher and form little "steps" as they go up for more coral placement. But I'm a fan of minimal LR as well, so if you are going for the minimal look, that's cool too! Rock on!