Some Fuge Questions

[Vinnie71975]

Just a couple real quick fuge questions. First does a fuge HAVE to be baffled or can it just be another container? Is there a way to do an under tank fuge that is flood proof(with an overflow)? I am going to use a rubber maid tub for my fuge anyone see a problem with this(i wish i could go bigger but no room or money)? I plan on getting flood light mounts for under my tank OR Florescent Plant Lights that are 24 inch long and 75 watt Or a combo of both which do y'all think would be best? Do the flood light bulbs have to be a certain Kalvin rating IE do they have to be 6500k or will any light do for macro? Also please feel free to include any tips tricks etc that you have that can help!

[Neptune420]

You don't have to have baffles by any means. One of my sump/fuges is nothing but a 20g with a cheap divider to separate the pump and heater. You will need to put a check valve on your return line. This way in case of power failure you wont siphon from your display to your sump and flood. Although, if you are using a continuous siphon overflow it will never be completely flood proof. Once in a great while my overflow will get an air bubble in it and the water will rise, luckily I have caught it everytime so far. A rubber made tub is fine. I would use 6500k pc or t5 lighting, no need for the flood lights.

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by Neptune420
You don't have to have baffles by any means. One of my sump/fuges is nothing but a 20g with a cheap divider to separate the pump and heater. You will need to put a check valve on your return line. This way in case of power failure you wont siphon from your display to your sump and flood. Although, if you are using a continuous siphon overflow it will never be completely flood proof. Once in a great while my overflow will get an air bubble in it and the water will rise, luckily I have caught it everytime so far. A rubber made tub is fine. I would use 6500k pc or t5 lighting, no need for the flood lights.

Floods are FAR cheaper! the fixture is 4 bucks at walmart and even at 10 bucks for 2 bulbs Still FAR cheaper even that Aquatraders.com

4x fixture 12.00

2x2pack bulbs 20.00

total 32.00 for about 300watts of light

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by Vinnie71975
Floods are FAR cheaper! the fixture is 4 bucks at walmart and even at 10 bucks for 2 bulbs Still FAR cheaper even that Aquatraders.com

4x fixture 12.00

2x2pack bulbs 20.00

total 32.00 for about 300watts of light

Bump

[quads4_life]

One thing when you are sitting up your fuge. Get it completly plumbed and ready to go, fill it up to where you want it mark it on the outside of the tub. Then turn on your pump and see where the level drops to then mark that. Just keep it between the two lines and also make sure that your have syphon breaks in your drains so it will not continue to syphon if you loose power.

[colotl]

instead of a check valve you cn just drill a hole on you return just under the water surface. I t will break siphon when the water falls below this hole.

[Cope]

I think the hole idea is best, But what if you're over flow box falls off and is on the bottom of the tank when the power goes out, ....................well lets just say you're sump better hold a bunch of H2O.

(edit) never use an overflow that attaches with suction cups!
Ask me how I know? Do people even still use junk like that?

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by colotl
instead of a check valve you cn just drill a hole on you return just under the water surface. I t will break siphon when the water falls below this hole.

How does a return create Siphon?Isn't that kinda impossible or are you talking about in the case of a power failure?

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by Cope
I think the hole idea is best, But what if you're over flow box falls off and is on the bottom of the tank when the power goes out, ....................well lets just say you're sump better hold a bunch of H2O.

(edit) never use an overflow that attaches with suction cups!
Ask me how I know? Do people even still use junk like that?

I was planing on using a HOB overflow the kind the hangs over the tank so it cant fall in like that.

[Vinnie71975]

I guess maybe i just need step by step instructions for setting up a fuge!

[bamack2]

find out just how much water our refugium/sump will hold basicly play a power failure your self then you will see how much water out the display tank will fill your sump/fug than set you overflow box the part thats in tank higher than the level where it flood your sump/fug so when the power go out and the overflow sump the water under the part in the tank your sump/fug wont flood but with this way you will need a ATO to keep it at the level you need to keep the over flow box full
if you under stand what i am saying

[colotl]

melreeves ahs a good explanation on how it works. Check out his website

[Vinnie71975]

Originally posted by bamack2
find out just how much water our refugium/sump will hold basicly play a power failure your self then you will see how much water out the display tank will fill your sump/fug than set you overflow box the part thats in tank higher than the level where it flood your sump/fug so when the power go out and the overflow sump the water under the part in the tank your sump/fug wont flood but with this way you will need a ATO to keep it at the level you need to keep the over flow box full
if you under stand what i am saying

The fuge is going to be a 18g Rubbermaid tote that has been cut off so im thinking it will be About 15 gallons MAX prolly closer to 12g for the fuge. i am considering Adding a 10g tank to the mix for the Sump,have the Drain Go from the tank to the 10g sump(with Live rock) then into the 18g rubbermaid and return from there to the main tank. Let me know what you think. Here is a Diagram of the idea.

[colotl]

Your fuge will have the live rock so the sump will be your skimmers new home. It will work
i got a scratched up 29long from my LFS for 20bucks. added baffles for 10bucks and built my overflow for 20bucks. It took me a couple days to do it. I was surprised how easy it was and how much money i saved.