New Refugium

[tdgates10]

Well, I finally added a fuge to my set up. It's been on the to do list for quite some time. I had an extra 20 gal tank at home, so I drilled it and set it up today.

If anyone in Spokane has some cheato that they can spare, I would greatly appreciate it! Also, what else do you guys recommend having in it? Currently I have a 20 watt florescent light running reverse to the tank lights. I've heard that some people grow cheato under that fine while others say you need at least 65w?

Here are some photos of the setup.

 

[ajnweb]

Looking good! A lot of the hang on back refugiums run only an 18 watt power compact.

 

[returnofsid]

You can go with less light than that and be just fine. I've got Chaeto if you want some!!

 

[tdgates10]

Ya, I would love some!

I've heard good and bad about DSB, should I go with one or just stick with Chaeto and maybe some rubble?

 

[seattle989]

for lights i ussualy just grap one of those home depot clamp on fixtures and buy a plant grow bulb super cheap.

 

[SaltyDog2]

I have great results with one of the new 26 watt bulbs that are 6500K and produce 100 watts of power bought at Walmart. I have lots of Chaeto that I just throw away...I'm in Lewiston if you ever get this way...I'm sure you'll find plenty in your area though.

 

[300ZXNA]

I have some chaeto as well, if you'd like, lol. I guess it just depends who you're closest too. I'm on the south hill near Ferris HS.

As for lighting, I am using the home depot spiffy:

http://www.melevsreef.com/fuge_bulb.html

Cheap and highly effective.

Anyway, PM me if you want to drop by for some chaeto, or you can go over to Michael's and see all the pretty frags . . .

 

[returnofsid]

As for DSBs....I've heard negative things about having them in the display tank, but very good things about having them in the refugium. I'd put one in. I have a DSB in my refugium on the 75 and in the HOB refugium of the 46.

 

[burning2nd]

loose the clear tube.... you will thank your self... black or any color other then clear.. (opaque)

 

[tdgates10]

it's in my basement so the color doesn't really matter. I know that it will turn a nasty brown...but I'm the only one who ever sees it.

 

[ajnweb]

I think he might mean that if the clear plastic gets any light at all, it will form algae in the tubes and eventually clog them?

it's in my basement so the color doesn't really matter. I know that it will turn a nasty brown...but I'm the only one who ever sees it.

 

[tdgates10]

Well, if that's the case, good thing they're easy to change but I'll wait to see if that actually happens. That room doesn't receive much light, but we'll see.

 

[ajnweb]

Easy to change is good, why can't everything in this hobby be easy to change?

 

[tdgates10]

I just got done adding 60lbs of sand, that'll give me a 4in DSB, and a ball of chaeto. Everything is a little cloudy at the moment, but I think that'll do the trick for the fuge!

 

[tdgates10]

Well, it cleared up a lot faster then I thought it would. Here's a finished photo of my new 20 gallon refugium.

 

[gotfish]

Nice looking. That should work. Make sure you throw in some sort of sand sifter. Either snails or starfish will keep that going for a while.

 

[jag3534]

That looks really nice! are you going to use for frag growout too? It looks like u have a really nice spot there for that. We just set up our 25g fuge too. but my husband went crazy with the plexiglass plates for baffles, so we dont have much of a nice open area lke that. I bet you can grow a ton of chaeto in there!! You did drilled overflows on thank right?

 

[tdgates10]

Thanks for the comments!

That should work. Make sure you throw in some sort of sand sifter. Either snails or starfish will keep that going for a while.

Yeah, I'm going to throw some nasaruis' in there once it get going a little more. I was going to do some sifting stars, but I don't want to starve them, so I'll stick with the snails.

That looks really nice! are you going to use for frag growout too?

I'm going to set up a similar tank for a frag tank once I need one. The lighting on the fuge isn't nearly good enough for a frag tank.

 

[burning2nd]

the clear tue will grow algea on the inside...and block it in time..

its eazyer to just use black tube. from like home depot... its like 20 cents a foot or something.
i had 2 go back and change mine eh.... 2 years ago.. after about 1.5 years...

so if you dont want to have to do it later just do it now.

 

[returnofsid]

Tyler, you're right to not go with a sandsifting starfish. Not only would it starve, it'll sterilize your sand bed in short time. It'll eat every living thing in your sand bed, leaving it useless...lol.