Fuge flow

[roundman]

I am getting ready to replumb everything and want to put my fuge on its own pump. What is the best flow for a 10 gal fuge with a 1/2 inch bulkhead for drain?

Oh and this is my 1,000 post yea

 

[jonboyb]

Is there any way to plumb it off the line from your overflow. I'm currently doing this myself for a 12 gallon devoted fuge and plan on supplying only 70-80 gph MAX. I"ll probably start much lower than that.

 

[rbredding]

if you can, definitely plumb it off your overflow, that way it can participate in the filtration of your system. (mine drains into the return section of the sump)

I would think that optimal flow would be just fast enough to aggitate the surface of the water.. the slower the better..

the 1/2" bulkhead won't let much flow leave the refugium anyway due to the lack of pressure in a gravity drain system..

whatever you do, put a gate valve on the supply side of the fuge so you can dial it back...

 

[acroholic]

If you cannot feed the fuge thru your return pump, then any small PH will do, like a mini jet or the smallest maxi jet.

 

[roundman]

I feed it off of my return now but can not feed off of the overflow. I was thinking of just putting a small ph in the skimmer section of the sump and return it to the return section of the sump. Just wondering which size ph would be better.

 

[rbredding]

really, the best way to determine that is to set it up with a hose feeding it and time how long it takes the bulkhead drain to fill a gallon container...

its going to be SLOW.... mine is setup with a 3/4" bulkhead and I think it drains like 30 GPH .......MAX..

 

[weaglereefer]

Hmm, I thought chaeto was supposed to tumble, that won't happen at 30gph. I have a MJ-600 on my fuge and my last ball of chaeto died. I'm hoping the bunch I got last night makes it.

 

[bobz]

When I had mine setup that way, I used a MJ900 to feed the refugium. I also used a Koralia 2 in the fuge to move water around inside the tank.

 

[grouper therapy]

au01st;391758 wrote: Hmm, I thought chaeto was supposed to tumble, that won't happen at 30gph. I have a MJ-600 on my fuge and my last ball of chaeto died. I'm hoping the bunch I got last night makes it.

Maybe your water is that clean!

 

[weaglereefer]

Well nitrates come up a shade above 0 on my Elos kit. And I skim pretty wet, but I still have some spots of hair algae.

Switching to halides killed a lot of algae, lol.

 

[grouper therapy]

In several other forums 2 to 3 times the water volume of the refugium. I think I have about 50 gph in a 20 gallon refugium

 

[skriz]

I would use a mag 2 or equivalent.

I would definately not feed it via your overflow. You don't want large particulate matter being trapped in there (which is what will happen).

 

[oldschool52]

As far as tumbling chaeto I just turn by hand every other day. We have given away a good bit of it, grows like mad and pod heaven. It helps to keep nitrates in check too. When I turn I usually release pods into my return which the mandarin thinks is great. He's about 4" long and about as big around as a cigar.

I use a MJ900 in a 10gal sump on a 30 long tank. I do have a HOB on the 30 and an additional HOB on sump. I will probably change to a mag 5 when I upgrade 30 to the 45 sitting next to it.

 

[smoothie]

au01st;391758 wrote: Hmm, I thought chaeto was supposed to tumble, that won't happen at 30gph. I have a MJ-600 on my fuge and my last ball of chaeto died. I'm hoping the bunch I got last night makes it.

Either that or anchored to the bottom with a little flow. If yours doesn't work out let me know. I have a really thick dark green strand that I give to my lfs to sell. I can send you some no problem.
Original post- can you give us a diagram on your plumbing? May help better in deciding how to direct where the flow comes from

 

[kirru]

I have my plumbed from my return as well, but also, my sump is partly my fuge so it helps me out a bit. i do have a gate valve thing to restrict flow and redirect it toward the skimmer section of the far end.... i wonder if i have a pic of it somewhere.

 

[kirru]

alt="" />

here i just took this, i know this isn't what your doing per se but i thot it might help a little. i am not sure the xact amount of flow through it but my chaeto doesn't tumble but it aint dead either