"Dark Fuge"

[Travis]

I am as of now running a fuge with LS and Cheto. The problem I haveing is the about of Diatoms in the fuge. I want to know the advantages of having only LS and LR rubble and no light.

 

In my main tank there is little Diatoms, my thinking is if I take away the source of the problem, there won't be a problem at all.

 

Any suggestions/personal experience is welcomed

[bobioden]

Why are you running the fuge without light? The idea of the fuge besides adding extra water volume it to grow the macroalgae. Chaeto is a great algae as it grows fast and does not go asexual. But it needs light. Not much light, but it still needs light. Once you get the Chaeto growing and established it will out compete the diatoms, and other nuisance algaes and make you tank more stable.

 

Bob

[Travis]

well, the fuge has been set up for over a month and the Diatoms are still ever present and I wasn't going to be putting any macro algae in the "Dark Fuge", only LS and LR Ruble. All I realy want the fuge for is a place to put my heater, and a place for pods to grow.

[bobioden]

Originally posted by Travis

I am as of now running a fuge with LS and Cheto.  

 

Any suggestions/personal experience is welcomed

 

 

I guess I read this as you had Chaeto in your fuge. MY bad.

 

 

Bob

[Travis]

BTW, nice tank Bob. i have the same HOT Fuge as you do. What kind of light do you have on it, I have the Galaxy Light from AZOO.

[bobioden]

Originally posted by Travis

BTW, nice tank Bob.  i have the same HOT Fuge as you do.  What kind of light do you have on it, I have the Galaxy Light from AZOO.

 

Thanks Travis,

I am using the Jalli 13w with a 10k bulb on the fuge. Chaeto grows so fast I need to prune it every few weeks. Any problems that I ever had with algaes were all eliminated when I added the fuge. Not only that, my nitrates which I could never get below 10 finally dropped to 0 and have stayed at 0 ever since.

 

Bob

[Travis]

do you have a problem with Diatomms? like growing within the fuge?

[bobioden]

Once in a while I will get some diatoms growing in the fuge, also some red algae. This happens soon after I prune the Chaeto. Once the Chaeto gets growing again it soon disappears. It also only appears in the fuge, and never in the main tank.

 

Bob

[Travis]

Do you have any inverts in the fuge? Also, where did you get your light and what was the cost?

 

I just want to say thanks for answering my questions

[bobioden]

I have a little bit of everything in the fuge. A couple snails, a couple very small hermits, bristleworms, mini-stars, and anything I find in my tank that i'm not sure of goes in there.

The light came from Pet Solutions.

 

Jalli 11" 13w compact strip. $14.99 the bulb is $5.49

 

I tried to include the link, but the link didn't work.

 

It fits the Aquafuge perfectly. I did glue two acrylic strips to the bottom to make it a bit more stable.

 

Bob

[Travis]

thanks

[tinyreef]

Originally posted by Travis

I want to know the advantages of having only LS and LR rubble and no light.

 

In my main tank there is little Diatoms, my thinking is if I take away the source of the problem, there won't be a problem at all.

actually, it may result in lower diatoms. some dark/cryptic animals use silicates for their bodies (e.g. sponges) just like diatoms. diatoms just outcompete anything when there's light added to the mix.

 

by doing a dark fuge you could (in theory) boost the cryptics' growth by impeding the diatoms energy (i.e. light) and limit the silicates available for the diatoms to utilize for biomass growth as well.

 

the source of the issue isn't (imo) specifically the diatoms in the fuge or even the light in the fuge. it's more likely excess nutrients and/or silicates from some decaying (internal) or feeding (external) source. limit or remove that/those possible issues then the diatoms should be resolved (eventually). another approach is the 'dark fuge' you suggested. hth

[Travis]

I don't feed much, nor is there much of a bioload in the tank. I only have 1 Yellow Clown Goby and my clean up crew (which do a remarcably good job in the main tank). I also have 15 lb of LR in the display also.

[tinyreef]

do you have any snails in the fuge? if not, drop a couple in and let them clean it up.

 

i also just noticed that you said the fuge was up for only a month so the diatoms could just be 'new tank' settling in (even if it's attached to an existing system).

 

btw i wouldn't put in herms as that starts defeating the 'refuge' aspect of the refugium. hth

[onthefly]

I run a dark fuge (except for the bleed over from the main)

 

My system is nutrient poor and I could grow macro (chaeto, caulerpa, or red grac.).

 

So I dumped another 3 lbs of LR rubble in there and let the pods, featherdusters, bristles, spagetti worms,and anything else that wants to....just go!

[carl]

I'm also running a dark fuge. It only gets a bit of light from the my mini aqualight on top of the hood. I have LS, LR rubble and some macro. It's only a 3g. going on 2 months and I have yet to see any diatoms, main or fuge. Hope i didn't curse it now by saying it. Hope this info helps.

[BKtomodachi]

Actually... everyone is pretty much missing the point of a "fuge".... its to have an area where smaller more delicate life forms can grow without predators, but still be connected to your system... what you guys are planning is also a "nutrient export system".

[tinyreef]

ah yes, but where do many of the 'little critters' live?

 

algae, sponges, tunicates, etc. do perform a filtering task but they also provide habitats for microcrustaceans, worms, micromollusks, etc.

 

that's why i think herms are too predatory. otoh, snails usually aren't predatory/destructive (the ones commonly available) and contribute a significant amount to plankton thru their reproductive cycles and feedings (food bit scrapings).

 

i agree with you tho that a dark fuge may be more of a 'filtering' setup than a 'plankton generator'. i think a regular photoperiod contributes a lot to the spawnings of worms and mollusks that are so vital (imo) to our closed systems' plankton. e.g. i very rarely see boring worms spawn during daylight hours but can see it on a nightly basis (so i'm a worm-perv ).

 

but imo a refugium can be either a plankton generator or algae scrubber/exporter and still be true to its definition (i.e. a place of refuge, whether it's from carnivores or herbivores). the critters or plants can be for harvesting/filtration or viewing-only, that's the difference in our viewpoints/definitions, i think.

[BKtomodachi]

You got it.

 

Tinyreef do you have a nano?

[Doc Shake]

tinyreef hit the nail on the head with that one

[tinyreef]

Originally posted by BKtomodachi

Tinyreef do you have a nano?

actually, no. at least not in my definition (i.e.

 

i've been futzing with the display portion almost constantly since setup tho. i just rearranged the rockwork from a bommie/reef cliff look to more of a spur & groove/valley look. (RDO's current TOTM inspired that layout)

 

actually, i didn't want to do that look (valley) originally since it blocks significant viewing area on the sides but (again pertaining to the thread) it now also creates significant dark-shaded/cryptic areas underneath the rockwork that are able to be viewed now.

 

it also looks a lot better than the pile-o'rocks i had before. X) sorry that i don't have a nano. can i still post here?

 

tough noogies, if not.

[BKtomodachi]

Heh its no bad thing to have you around! lol.

 

I'd say just show the main tank and "forget" to mention you have a fuge... then its a nano! lol

[jmguerry12]

nowq wshould the photoperiod be for a fuge

[tinyreef]

Originally posted by jmguerry12

nowq wshould the photoperiod be for a fuge

wellll, for a 'dark' refugium, i'd haveta guess it'd be really short.

 

i keep my 'dark' fuge limited to the occasional flashes from a flashlight to make sure nothing alien is growing, leaks, or to switchout foam prefilters on my mag pumps (roughly once a month or when i remember X) ).

 

you can keep a refugium on a reverse daylight photoperiod (RDP), which simply means when the display tank lights turn off the fuge lights turn on. (10~14 hours depending on your display's photoperiod)

 

you can also keep them on 24/7 but ime you'd have to be a bit more vigilent on nuisance algae to prevent the nuisance algae from smothering everything in the fuge. otherwise, 24/7 lets you export nutrients very quickly. hth

[kappa]

Try berlin sock where the water goes into the fuge.