Fuge setup- what you think?

[ubgone]

Hello,

I'm planning my fuge...
I'm looking for your advice and answers.... :
the fuge will be 12G, (the main tank will be 35g and the sump 16g).
my main Q's are:
1.how much flow is good?

2.I'm planing on using a reeflo snapper on my system and its a super strong pump... won't this pump kill the small animals from the fuge on the way from the sump to the main tank?

3. I thought about using a 70W hps 5100K light for the fuge light, what you think? (hps has the best lumen per watt ratio..)

4.what plants and algae should i keep in the fuge that could be cut when get large and fed to the fish in the main tank?

5.what animals should i keep in the fuge?

6.what plants would you keep in this fuge?

7.how much live rock should i keep?

8.what to use: live sand or fuge mud? how much?

9.how important is plant and algae diversity in a fuge?

10.what would you change or add?

any other suggestions will be welcomed!



Thank you very much!!!!!!!!

 

[graveyardworm]

1.how much flow is good?

A maxi jet 1200 ( about 300GPH ) plus flow through should be more then enough. Perhaps even too much.

2.I'm planing on using a reeflo snapper on my system and its a super strong pump... won't this pump kill the small animals from the fuge on the way from the sump to the main tank?

Most of the critters will make it safely through the pump.

3. I thought about using a 70W hps 5100K light for the fuge light, what you think? (hps has the best lumen per watt ratio..)

No experience with HPS, but that k is going to look very yellow.

4.what plants and algae should i keep in the fuge that could be cut when get large and fed to the fish in the main tank?

There are alot of possibilities here, cheato is a good utility algae for nutrient reduction. Gracillaria and Ulva are probably the best as far feeding go.

5.what animals should i keep in the fuge?

I would limit the animals to just pods and such for a strong population, certainly I wouldnt add anything which might prey on them.

6.what plants would you keep in this fuge?

Again alot of possibilities, I would limit the amount of species 2 perhaps 3 or 4 just to avoid too much competition for available nutrients.

7.how much live rock should i keep?

Not much, save the space for macro growout.

8.what to use: live sand or fuge mud? how much?

In a small tank you could probably get away with all mud without breaking the bank. I would add some aragonite sand over the mud though to help prevent it from being blown around. The mud is apt to be pretty silty.

9.how important is plant and algae diversity in a fuge?

Again limit the plant diversity a bit to reduce competition for available nutrients.

10.what would you change or add?

If possible I would locate the fuge higher than the display, and make a display out of it as well. Have the fuge drain into the display to minimize critter death in pumps.

 

[ubgone]

Huge thanks graveyardworm!

that is some great info!

about what animals to keep:
I would like the fuge to act as a "safe home" for alot of small critters that could reproduce easily... so i will try to get a few kinds of pods and also some breeding shrimp (white shrimp?)... what do you think?

 

[graveyardworm]

I would be concerned that the shrimp might eat your pods. Not familiar with white shrimp though. Dont worry about adding the pods. If this hooked into another tank with LR or has little LR in it then with a little bit of food every day the pods will flourish.

 

[ubgone]

What will be the 4 plants/algae you recommand?
I will need one fast growing for nitrate control (CHEATO?)
and 3 other for feeding the main tank inhabiters (will it be better to keep 1 green, 1 red and 1 brown algaes so it will have a better nutritional value?)

thanks!!

 

[graveyardworm]

Cheato, gracillaria, and ulva would be 3 good choices.

 

[plummike]

Can you pump to the Fuge and gravity return to your tank?

 

[ubgone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9631267#post9631267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Cheato, gracillaria, and ulva would be 3 good choices.

Thanks!!!