Fuge Questions !?!?!?!?!?!

[Bobtail1075]

I have a couple questions. I qot an answer to one on the other thread but I want to ask it again here so I do not take over his thread.

1. When does one trim the fuge?
2. I have a film of nasty crud on top of the fuge. There are some bubbles and a nasty film on top of the water. What is the crud/bubbles and should I do something about it?
3. Does anyone keep anything other than the macro algae in the fuge? Ex. Snails, shrimp, crabs, fish?

These are questions I have not been able to find answers to online. Any help you could give would be AWESOME.. Thanks

Jeremy

 

[daveverdo]

Just following along here. I am setting up a sump/fuge and have asked similar questions. I think much depends on WHY you have a fuge. There can be single reason or some combination. I am trying to produce food and export excess waste products. So a dual purpose but I would say my fuge's primary purpose is as a zooplankton generator. With that purpose, I would not have anything in there that will reduce the pod population. If the primary purpose is nutrient export through macroalgae growth, then there shouldn't be anything that will eat the macro.

This of course is all theoretical based on Calfo and Fenner's book.

Dave

 

[Piazzon12]

Sorry... fugeless

 

[POSEIDOMORS]

1. when does one trim a fuge?

this depends mainly on what type of nutrient exports are being used:
a. mangroves- never (fore warning "they are called trees good thing to keep in mind")

b. cheato- is normally trimed back when it has grown to the full restraints of the fuge forcing it to grow out of the water

c. caulerpa- should be trimed often and in smaller amounts
so not to shock it into "going sexual"(reproduction)- which it will do as a defense mechanism. harvesting to much at one time would mimic being ate by a large fish, on the other hand left alone for to long a period would cause a nutrient void (limitation) will also cause same result.

d. xenia - can be trimed (fragged) when it takes over the fuge "which never takes long"

 

[POSEIDOMORS]

2. the film is more than likely a build up of nutrients (proteins) on the surface, do to very low water flow. bubbles if they are the surface they are probably nitogen, if they are attached to macro they could be oxygen. my recommendation would be to increase the water flow, depending on the set up the addition of a small powerhead, or turning up the flow of the return pump (as long as the drain can handle it and drains into the fuge.

 

[POSEIDOMORS]

3. i have done snails, hermits, mandarins, red dragonettes, blue dotted jawfish

 

[St.james of reefdom]

If you need to you can use the fuge as a extra tank for wards which are wayward, or need some alone time but, I think as Daveredo alluded to it depends what you want the fuge for.
The fuge in my mind is an area for the reproduction of pods,rotifers copepods and other types of phytoplankton, mysids etc. so you do not want to house animals which are going to deplete theses critters. It also an area which is providing nutrient reduction via bacteria or algae or both.
If you are going for nutrient reduction only then throw some bigger critters in but, In my mind it is a self defeating purpose.
I have from time to time had a light film on my water in the sump , some of that is dust which is settling out from the air.
I clip my macro/chaeto when it is to thick for the water to really move through.
Flow is just as important in the sump as it is in the main tank.

 

[Bobtail1075]

So does that mean I need more flow? I have a maxi-jet 1200 flowing up about 2 feet into the fuge. Should I throw a small powerhead in the fuge? It is about 36" long and about 10" high. I think most of the questions got answered, THANK YOU..

JEremy

 

[Dave VG]

Maxi-jets are not made to be a pressure pump. You may only have 50 to 75 gph by the time it gets up 2 ft. By more flow it means moving water through the fuge not around in it so another power head is not the answer. You need more flow through it which would take a bigger pump.

 

[Bobtail1075]

Alright, AWESOME... Now I am on the right path. i was always under he impression that you wanted minimum flow through the fuge. What size pump would be good? I am looking to keep my fuge as a sanctuary for the pods and all things good.

Thanks
JEremy