Looking to set up a fuge, need help

[gotwake89]

I have a 75 gal reef tank with a wet/dry sump that takes up the majority of the space in the stand below the tank so I'd like to set up a HOB fuge but don't know where to start. First, what size HOB is a good fuge size for a 75? I'm mainly looking to grow some chaeto for a sustainable pod population so that I can get a mandarin. Second, does the HOB need a seperate pump or is there a way to have it flow into my overflow box or could this somehow replace my overflow box. I'm guessing I probably don't want the pods to be filtered out in my sump so this will have to flow back to the tank seperately correct? Third, I've already spent a ton on LEDs for the display, and I've read that chaeto doesn't requre that intensity of light and will grow with standard grow lights from Home Depot, etc. I'm a noob when it comes to types of lights (I just trusted the LFS when they told me what to get for the display) so I have no idea what is required for the chaeto. Any help is appreciated

[ajcanale]

Why not replace the wet/dry sump with a sump/refugium? Aesthetically, it would make more sense and you would have much more room for the fuge. You can fit up to a 30g under a 75g, maybe even larger.

I use a 8k LED spotlight to grow Chaeto and it works very well. I got it at lowes or HD for around $40, and it has been running 12 hours a day for 2 years.

[gotwake89]

This is very similar to what I currently have under the tank now: http://0.tqn.com/d/saltaquarium/1/0/...oppsWetDry.jpg
I just bought it not too long ago so I'm not really in any hurry to replace it. Would it be possible to create another section with a piece of plexyglass or something on the side without the bio balls and have the chaeto with the light in one section and the pump in the other?

[thegrun]

I would get rid of the bio-balls and split that compartment in two with one side for your skimmer, the other a refugium and keep the existing return section as is. Unless you regularly clean your bio-balls they trap detritus and lead to higher nitrates.

[gotwake89]

hmm, thats an idea. unfortunately the compartment with the bio balls is open to the second compartment on the bottom so if i tried to split it and had my fuge in there I would have to somehow close that up so that the chaeto wouldnt just get sucked into the return pump. seems like a lot of acrylic forming which i dont really know how to do

[Orm Embar]

Agree with getting rid of the wet/dry and simply having a refugium in the sump.

[novazul1]

1. Get rid of bio ball
2.Cut another sheet to make another small comparment
3. on return and back pipe ,put valve to control water flow in and out

[Palting]

It's actually pretty easy to add a remote refugium. It's just a question of plumbing. It would be a shame to just throw away a sump you already have and are already using. Get a tank that is at least 10% of your DT volume. The bigger the better. You can put it just above your DT on another stand or platform, pump water to it and let it drain by gravity back to the DT, and you can hide all of it with a little ingenuity or leave it open as a dsiplay refugium. Or, you can place it underneath in the stand beside your sump, and be creative with flows and plumbing. If there is no space inside the stand, you can put it beside the stand and not in it, then hide it or proudly display it. Like I said, it's easy, just a question of plumbing.

Miy refugium is a remote dedicated 20 gallon refugium sitting inside the stand. I pump water from the skimmer section of the sump downstream from the skimmer, then it drains back by gravity to the return section of the sump. The refugium pump is set at about 600gph, 30X refugium volume.

[gotwake89]

ok, I'll have to take some dimensions inside the stand and see what will fit but i think i should be able to figure that out. thanks everyone. I still need some advice on lights though. will something like this be sufficient:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UIALvW_A8mY

[Palting]

As I understand t, most any light will work on a refugium, even an incandescent shop light. I use compact flourescents on mine, 6.5K and 10K spectrum.

[DomC]

I am in the process of building a sump/ ref. for my 75 as well. I picked up a 40B from petco during the $1 per gallon sale. Here's the design I am gonna go with. the 1 3/8" dim is really 5 1/2". I know it needs to be tweeked a bit.

[gotwake89]

Thanks, dom, I'll probably make another thread if I decide to DIY with the sump/fuge