Upgrading tank size and doing fuge for first time, questions...

[Whispre]

Helllo,

 

I have a 7gallon minibow set up with nothing extra really, just live sand, live rock, an empty hob filter and a powerhead for flow.

 

I'm moving to a 26gallon bowfront very soon and am trying to plan it out. After lots of reading I've come up with the following plan... and would appreciate suggestions.

 

I'm not going to add a skimmer unless I find I have to. But I did order a 18" CPR hob fuge. I plan to put new arag substrate in the tank bottom, and about 1 inch in the bottom of the fuge. Then I plan to put the existing sand in my 7gallon on the new substrate both in the tank and in the fuge. I'm also going to put base rock rubble (not live) in the fuge with a few pieces of live rock rubble from the 7gallon tank. I'm planning from what I read on using chaetomorpha as a macro, and lighting it opposite my tank (on at night, off during day) for about 12 hours each night with the Jalli light (13 or 18w can't remember)

 

My goal is to have a manderin... so in addition to lots of rock in the main tank, I want to grow as many pods in the fuge as possible, while also using the macro to conrol nutrients and intank algies...

 

does this plan sound good? any suggestions to max the pod growth in the fuge?

 

Thx in advance.

[Darold]

I have a smaller CPR HOB fuge. I am verry happy with it. However, when it is lit at night, light will flow over into your disply tank (I have a cover on the back of my display tank, however the light comes in from above as well. Here is a picture of my fuge on my old tank (5.5g):

 

 

You may want to consider using your old 7G as a sump. This will leave more room on your display tank for other HOT equipment. You can also store more macro/sand/LR in the 7G. I am planning on doing this with my old 5.5G.

[Pinchy]

tahts one of the downfalls to HOB fuges- CPR builds there's so its high above the tank- this lets light spread back into the tank making it very annoying.... i would just get some black background and wrap it around the whole fuge and light together...maybe tahtll help-