WHat should I do with the Fuge?

[SKurj]

I received a CPR refugium today, it holds 3.6gal and is 19"L x 12"deep by a little over 4" wide.

I guess I have 3 options..
1. shallow sand bed, live rubble and lots of chaeto or
2. deep sand bed 4-5" less live rock and less chaeto...
3. just chaeto..

This is for a 40g tank currently running a hob skimmer and an ac110 (fuge will replace the 110) very young tank just a few snails, some mushrooms, diatoms and whatever came on the live rock.

WHich choice is the better and why? or are there more options open to me?

[Lorenz725]

I have a 29 gallon fuge and I went with no sand live rubble and cheato. I put my LR rubble on some egg crate so I just slide it over and I am able to suck out all the settlements. I think you will get a lot of different ideas there is no one way to set up a fuge.

[BigCountry74]

how long has your tank been setup? whats your phosphates at now?

[SKurj]

Tank has been up around 3 weeks, just received a phos test kit tonight though it will be tomorrow before I get a chance to use it.

Tank has gone thru a cycle, saturday it was testing ammo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 40ish (api test kits) have done a 20% water change, just not done any tests since. I have been running phosphate reducing media in an AC110 since day one with carbon.

[BigCountry74]

you will not be able to grow micro algae then, you can try, but it will slowly die. i tried it on a new tank and it was not succesfull (this is assuming your using RO/DI water). in other words, if there is not excess nutrients to export - the algae simply has no fuel to grow.

I would go with a deep sand bed and as much live rock as you can fit in the fuge for now. then if your nitrates/phosphates start rising, perhaps an algae scrubber or micro algae later on.

[nlgill13]

I find my cheato loves the nitrate in the tank...I think you will be ok to try it

[SKurj]

On closer examination it looks like the deepest sand bed I can go without modifying the fuge is 4" is that ok?

So the thoughts for now are 4" sugar sized aragonite, LR and a little chaeto to see what happens.

Or if i can't go more than 4" should I not bother with deep sand bed and just go an inch or 2 with LR and chaeto?

[BigCountry74]

yup 4" is good, thats what I run in my fuge.

[SKurj]

Originally Posted by BigCountry74

how long has your tank been setup? whats your phosphates at now?

Played with my test kit today. calcium test with API test kit is a PITA... not sure what the hell its supposed to be telling me.. think its 400+ but no clue to accuracy. Phosphate though is reading 0 and nitrate is in the 10 range. (25% water change on Sunday).. salifert kits ordered...

I pulled the AC110 last night, and put the hob fuge in tonight. I moved the carbon and PhosZorb from the 110 to the fuge, added the 4" of sand and thats about as far as I got.

Really pleased with the numbers so far for less thasn 3 weeks in. Ammonia and Nitrite also 0. I did get some calupera with some live rock and it is wilting away as well. Even some hairy type algae looks to be turning brown. snails, mushrooms and diatoms seem to be doing ok though... amazed at how fast 6 snails in a 4ft tank can actually consume diatoms.

QUick additional question: The hob fuge comes with a powerhead with variable rate on the flow. Out of the box it was full blast, and seemed too much to me, am I correct in thinking if I am going to grow pods and algae in the fuge i need to mellow out abit on the flow?