Super novice Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 I have been researching just about long enough ansd I think that I have finally made a decision as to the direction I want to go here is what I have planed so far: 5.5 gal built in fuge DSB in fuge LR rubble in fuge Macro in fuge 50 Watt Ebo Jager heater in fuge Zoomed 226 Powersweep in fuge 3 X 13 Watt PC over display 1 X 13 Watt PC over fuge on opposite time schedule as display I am just looking for comments and opinions on how you think this will work or possible problems. I will do the built in fuge with black plexi-glass, with overflow into fuge and use PH to pump back into tank. Thanks in advance. Link to comment
Satchmo Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Sounds good. Few suggestions: skip the powersweep in the fuge, it really serves no purpose in there. Flow rates through a refugium should be gentile, and having a rotating powerhead blowing around in a small space isn't going to do you much good. You're building this yourself? If so, I would also suggest that you hide a powerhead behind the rock in the display area. Use this to feed the fuge, and an overflow to return the water to the tank (basically the reverse of your design). This way the zooplankton your fuge provides won't have to be mashed by a PH on it's way out. Good luck. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 also, consider a small powerhead for the main tank, some live rock and sand for the main tank too. You didn't mention them as part of your set-up so I'm not sure if you are putting it in. Satch is right about the flow to and from the fuge. You want gentle movement thru the fuge and back to the tank or else the fuge will serve less of a purpose. What kind of livestock are you thinking of keeping in the tank? Link to comment
Super novice Posted February 28, 2003 Author Share Posted February 28, 2003 Satchmo, Are you suggesting two PHs one to feed the fuge and another to give movement in the main tank, that will give me two PHs in the display tank. My idea was to have one and hide it in the fuge to keep the main tank free of equipment. Crakeur, Yes I am planning on about 5-7# LS and 8-10# LR in the main tank (by the way I am also going to put some salt in my water) as for inhabitants I am thinking about a couple of different things I will have to see what I do and do not get, here is a list of some I am interested in: Shrooms Zoos GSP Ricordia Cabbage Leather Yellow Leather Frogspawn Closed Brain Maybe a clown or goby with a pistol shrimp and of course some hermits and snails to keep things clean. Link to comment
onthefly Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Just to reiterate the powersweep isn't doing jack in the fuge......beside there are peeps who say the sweep mechanism is crap and breaks easily. Satch and Crakeur are saying the same thing about the PH's. You only need one in the fuge (return line)since you're running an overflow. The other should go in the main tank for circulation. You could get one of the small ones that peeps have posted about (do a search) and hide it behind your rock (maybe on a spray bar). It will make sure you don't have dead spots and the subsequent cyano outbreaks. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 Sorry if there is any confusion I was planning to have the power sweep in the fuge but to move water through the fuge and into the main tank to create motion in the main tank (it will sweep in the main tank not in the fuge)and have it hidden from view. I have searched on the sweep and have read all the good and bad. I am just wondering why this whould not be a good idea. It should give lots of movement in the tank with just one PH and would keep the equipment hidden except for the return into the tank. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure you understand my intentions before I scrap the idea. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 Heres a pic of my idea: Link to comment
Satchmo Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Originally posted by Super novice Yes I am planning on about 5-7# LS and 8-10# LR in the main tank (by the way I am also going to put some salt in my water) I love it! Another sarchastic wiseass. And a dig at Crakeur no less. That's like going to prison and taking a swing at the biggest dude there so eveyone thinks you're nuts and leaves you alone. Well done, sir. I can't view your pics for some reason, but if I follow your clarification, the power sweep is going in the fuge, but the outflow will stick through the acrylic so it sweeps the display? If that's what you mean, that's a pretty good idea. You're still going to have pureed plankton. Most people with refugiums have them plumbed so the powerhead feeds the fuge, and an overflow or gravity returns the water to the tank. Your design is the reverse of this, but if you don't mind loosing some zooplankton to the wrath of the impeller, go for it. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 what satch is saying about the fuge is correct. One purpose of the fuge is to allow pods,zooplankton etc to flow back into the tank and thus feed your tank. A powerhead will make that a moot point. Yes, you'll still have the benefit of the macro algae but I have to say that my fuge is loaded with macro and I still have hair and caulerpa growing in the main and I still get too much algae on the glass. I rarely, if ever, feed the tank tho and everything seems to be doing fine. If you eliminate the feeding aspect you might not need the fuge at all. Might as well go for a larger tank and let the macro grow in the tank. As for the salt in the tank, I think that would be a good idea, although I must say that I found that urinating in the tank was a far better way to kick start the cycle. If you'd like, I can send you a small cup of mine. I'll be sure and leave a flaming bag of poo on your doorstep as well. Good to see another wise ass here. Just point that ire at someone else please. I have already been reprimanded for attacking newcomers (unjustly I might add. there are no criminals in this prison, we're all innocent). Link to comment
Satchmo Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Amen. Lawyer fugged me. Not ESPI though. He's the only guilty man in Shawshank. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 Yeah the idea was mostly to hide all of the equipment and to have a DSB to help in the denitrification proccess, thanks for all your help. By the way I can't help my personality I think it comes from my time in the military. (You learn how to act big even though you don't look the part.): "It wasn't me it was the one armed man." Link to comment
lizbeth Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 All this in a 5.5? Ain't gona work. An ebo and a powersweep will almost fill a 5.5. I can't see your pics either. I was accused of ####ing in My 5.5 when I started it, thus the name The Toilet. It seemed to work ok tho' it's the most stable tank I have. It was kind of hard to squat on the stand though. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 lizbeth, I think you are right the sweep may be to big I am now thinking about using a aquaglobe at 65G/h to pump water into the fuge and let it overflow into the main tank and use a aquaglobe at 100G/h to provide movement in the main tank. Squating on stand as Homer would say "think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts". Sorry about the pics I think I did it wrong. I am a little computer illiterate.X) So do these two pumps sound better than the power sweep, and will these give me enough flow or should I go bigger.??? Link to comment
lizbeth Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Yeah that powerhead set up sound ok. As for the pictures maybe they were too big? dunno I try never to think unsexy thoughts, at my age I need all the help I can get. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 2, 2003 Author Share Posted March 2, 2003 With age comes experience.... Link to comment
Crakeur Posted March 2, 2003 Share Posted March 2, 2003 the pics weren't too big. I got a look at them. diagrams of the tank from two different angles. Link to comment
lizbeth Posted March 2, 2003 Share Posted March 2, 2003 Well heck Crakeur I can't see them...I get those little boxes with the geo symbols in it. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 3, 2003 Author Share Posted March 3, 2003 Well I have started putting things together. Actually it is more like taking things apart. I picked up some 13 watt lights from Home Depot, I could not find the Book Worms so I ended up with the same type by Bayco however it is a work light with every thing inside of the handle. So I have taken it all apart and I am wondering if anyone would be able to tell me if the little ballast inside that runs the light would be okay placed against wood or not. It does get pretty warm I let it sit turned on for awhile just to see. My thought is that it would be okay seen as it was originally only protected by some plastic surronding it, however they are not really designed to run for 12 hrs straight. Does anyone know if placing this little ballast on wood would be okay or am I going to burn my house down by doing this. Maybe I should be using some kind of heat protecting paint. Anyones thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment
onthefly Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 You might put a small piece of alluminum between the wood and the ballast. It should conduct the heat away from the wood or at least spread it out so it's not concentrated on one point. If you're losing sleep over it! Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 5, 2003 Author Share Posted March 5, 2003 Hey thanks for the encouragment. I think it should be alright and if no t that is why I have home insurance. Well I picked up my tank and the plexiglass yesterday and started building. So I have a 5.5 g with a 2.5 inch fuge in the back divided by 1/4 inch black plexi. It will be overflow into the fuge and pumped out by a Rio 50 at 60 gph. It is looking pretty good. I wish I had a digital camera so I could post some pics, I am going to see if I can get pictures put on CD-ROM so I can upload them to the computer. I will keep you updated. Thanks all for your help. Link to comment
Super novice Posted March 17, 2003 Author Share Posted March 17, 2003 Well here's what I got. I am gonna try to attach a pic. Well I think that worked so I will try another. Here is one of the fuge. I can not seem to attach an action clip, sorry. Sorry about the pics, I should get a digital camera, all I got is a web cam and the pics are not the best. Any feed back on my design is appreciated. And i will answer any questions you have(as long as they are appropiate). Thanks again, I love buildin stuff. Link to comment
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