Flow rate through fuge for macro?

[bluemonster]

Im building a sump/fuge and am concerned about the water flow. Im doing this for better nutrient export. I read conflicting attitudes towards this. Some say heavy, some say light. It will be a 20 gal/three chamber set up for a 58 gal tank w/Rio2500 for the main pump. Any help?

 

[billsreef]

Slow flow's allow longer contact time and better nutrient stripping. At a base, I would start with about about 4x's tank volume turnover per hour.

 

[ctreefer]

And kill the RIO!!!! Seriously, consider another pump, your risking a lot with that brand. Been there done that, big mistake. Put in a search for RIO and you'll understand.

 

[bluemonster]

Yeah I know I know. Ive had it for three years now with no problem. Want to up to a Mag 9.5 soon. But hey, thanks for lookin out for me.

 

[aqua_obs]

Kill the rio kill the rio kill the rio! There are other pumps that won't electricute you. Look at the ecosystem site for a clue. I created separate chambers for macro and skimmer sections with different flow in each. (200gph in macro and 10x in skimmer).

 

[bluemonster]

ecosystem site?

 

[censored]

Heavy flow defeats the whole purpose of the "refug" part of refugium. To much flow could have an adverse affect on your pod population.

- c

 

[hubris007]

The RIO's work FINE. I have NEVER had a problem with the RIO. As for flow, simple dilution principle will tell you you get better export from high flow. If you trickle the water, it'll be "clear" by the time it gets to the end, but the percent of the total water volume is low. On the other hand, macros in high flow will never be in need of nutrients and will grow faster. While the water returning to the system will have less nutrient removed per cycle, the total amount of nutrient removed should be higher (vastly more cycles). As for the flow being detrimental to the critters, what critters would those be? So long as they have substrate/LR to hide in they should be fine. Granted, i'm not talking about putting 600gal/hour through a 10gal fuge. put i think 100 would be fine.

 

[bluemonster]

Ok, thanks, that does make it a bit more clear. But if I go straght through intake/fuge/return on the chambers and the return pump is pushing lets say 700 gph. Im way over on the turnover, correct?

 

[bluemonster]

Many of the set ups I have seen in LFS are straight with heavy flow and appear to flourish.

 

[hubris007]

Hmm, 40x turnover seems kind of high to me. Try it out, you can always add another fuge, hehe.

 

[bluemonster]

hubris007,

what do you recommend for substrate. Miracle Mud, LS, etc..?

Thanks

 

[hubris007]

I'm not going to say, too many people will jump on me. (oolitic sand with a very small portion of crushed gravel has worked well for me in the past, though)

 

[bluemonster]

My mistake. With the headloss it would be pushing around 450-520 per/hr. Hey, and dont worry about me, Im a friendly threader. No jumping on anyone here. Reefing is a bit too peacful for me.

 

[bluemonster]

And the sump/fuge will be 20 gal

 

[AFEICA]

I had all my water flowing from my 90 to my 20 gal. fuge to the pump and back up to the tank. Pumping about 900 GPH. Macros seemed to do fine, but I couldn't get a bug population going. Added a second Fuge (30 gal) and split the flow so 1/2 the flow goes to the bigger fuge, then to the smaller one. I have bugs in the big fuge now and I grow 5 different macros between the 2 refugiums. I also put my fragged mushrooms in the smaller one to attach to the rubble, and it works fine....even with the huge flow. just my $.02 worth.

 

[bluemonster]

thanks

 

[taco]

bluemonster- I have a 58g display with a fuge that holds about 15-20g. I am using a ViaAqua 2600 (rated at 740 gph). My sump/ fuge has 3 stages. I have bioballs in the first and last with fuge in the middle. I feel like I am getting just the right flow. The macro in the fuge is not blowing around, so to speak. The balls help settle things. Some say the balls are nitrate traps. We'll see. The fuge has been running almost 2 months. There are tons of bugs in there. I run lights 24/7. I use sand and rock rubble. I am moving away from caulerpa (too many horror stories, kinda like the rio). I have chaeto plus some others. So far it is not growing as fast as the caulerpa. I am more interested in pod populations than nutrient export anyway.

Hope this helps. Just my 2 bits!

I have some pics of my fuge in my gallery.

 

[KENE]

man talk about confusing, what is the optimum flow rate

 

[KENE]

would a guy be better of to divide the sump so only a portion of the water goes through the fug and the rest goes around it?