Fuge Size

[zoomster]

Hi all,

I am going to build a separate fuge for my new 120g so i can control the flow for better contact time.
What i am hoping you all can help me with is fuge size. How many gallon fuge would YOU recommend?
I was thinking of a 10 gal as it would fit nicely beside my sump but, would that be enough?

Any and all help would be valued and appreciated!

 

[reeferkeeper420]

As big as space will allow.

 

[EricTMah]

I use a 24"x18" space in my sump as a fuge with roughly 800gph running through it. Filled with cheato and 16 mangroves. Lighting is three clamp lamps with 100w equivalent cfl bulbs. Running 14hrs a day. It handles my 120dt and 65 frag tank perfectly. Zero no3 and po4 consistently

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[EricTMah]

Hi all,

I am going to build a separate fuge for my new 120g so i can control the flow for better contact time.
What i am hoping you all can help me with is fuge size. How many gallon fuge would YOU recommend?
I was thinking of a 10 gal as it would fit nicely beside my sump but, would that be enough?

Any and all help would be valued and appreciated!

I was kinda giving your situation a thought. Regarding limited space and wanting to maximize fuge space for efficiency. Is there a way to suspend a fuge partially over your existing sump? Two benefits I can see doing it this way would be to fit a larger fuge, rather than cram it beside the sump. Also you could drill the fuge and have it return back into the sump with no issues or worries about ever over flowing.

Maybe snap a shot of your sump and post it up.

Just bored and was thinking.

 

[zoomster]

Well i appreciate your thoughts and input! That is kinda what i was thinking of doing, having the fuge sitting partly above the sump and using a bulkhead and elbow to discharge back into the sump.
The other idea i was kicking around is to build a fuge with the same footprint as a 10gal but much taller. Which would of course give me increased volume.
I just thought a 10 gal would be easier to start with......i know, a bit lazy thinking.
I will try to upload some pics later tonight.

 

[EricTMah]

Well i appreciate your thoughts and input! That is kinda what i was thinking of doing, having the fuge sitting partly above the sump and using a bulkhead and elbow to discharge back into the sump.
The other idea i was kicking around is to build a fuge with the same footprint as a 10gal but much taller. Which would of course give me increased volume.
I just thought a 10 gal would be easier to start with......i know, a bit lazy thinking.
I will try to upload some pics later tonight.

Depending what you're planning to do with it. Just cheato, mangroves? Or DSB with some live rock, cheato and mangroves?
I don't see much benefit from a tall tank with a 10gal foot print, other than increasing volume. However, a longer tank can give you extended contact time, along with increased surface area for light contact to the cheato.

Just my 2 cents

 

[zoomster]

Hey, your 2 cents is valuable to me.
Ok i WILL try to get pics soon ( at thanksgiving dinner right now )
Hmmm ok, i could go 30" deep but no more than 12" wide. my cabinet is 72"l x 30"w and my sump is 48 x 18 and i have it centered so that leaves me 12" on each side. But.....it would be pretty darn tight! Which is why i was thinking of 10" x say 20", 24", 28"

 

[zoomster]

Here are a couple of pics of how it looks now.
The one pic has a 10 gal next to the sump for size reference.

Oh and i am not sure about live rock as my sump has lots. But i already have mangroves, cheato in sump and do intend to use sand in the fuge. And i will also have to weigh the differences between SSB and DSB for that i guess.
So many methods and pros and cons in this hobby isn't there??? Lol

 

[scubasteve]

heres a pic of my sump and fuge. my return is under my media reactor i divided the back end of my sump with plexi but bottom 2" is eggcrate to allowflow back to sump. i have my media reactor with just carbon and the output goes into my fuge 100gph keeping it low flow and long contact time. fuge is only 6"x18"x12" deep due to water level and is packed full of grape chaeto, calurpa and about 10 mangroves with the lights on 24/7. I also have 6" dsb in my fuge with a peice of eggcrate at the very bottom and i never disturb EVER. My main sump has about 980 gph flow. this is doing wonders in my 90 gal. zero wc in 9 months and no3 is always zero. I was running an algae scrubber but have since removed it and still no issues. Sps still doing great.

 

[zoomster]

Thanks Scuba!
Your input is valuable and appreciated! I will show some of my other sumps that I have built with built-in fuges.
But this one i bought and it was not really set up for a fuge.
Plus i want to really slow the flow
Down in my fuge.
Also, only half of your pics are visible, the bottom half are just gray. Lol.

 

[sunnykita]

pics look fine on my computer

 

[EricTMah]

You've got a tight fit there. A 10gal on the side might be your only option.
The height is my concern for a larger foot print.

Sony Xperia Z3

 

[zoomster]

I know. Love the big fuge but it does come at a price Lol.
I think i mentioned earlier that i could build one with the same footprint as a 10gal but say, twice as tall.