Question for fuge users

[Ugla]

I am considering a fuge/sump sold at Blue Sierra for my 100 gal reef. It is set up so all the water flows from the intake section through the skimmer section, then fuge, then bubble trap and out. My questions is this. This one has the full flow going through the fuge. What are the pros and cons of high flow through vs. low flow through the fuge? Seems new thinking is high flow works fine. I am using Iwaki 30 for pump.

 

[Ugla]

Lotsa lookers, no answers?

 

[bradreef]

skimmerwisperer is selling 2 of their sump. might be the same one.

 

[wrightme43]

I looked, I have my opinions but no facts to back them up because I dont use a fuge. I just didnt want you to think no one was thinking on the answer. My belief is that all of the water in a tank can be looked at as the same water. If it is flowing at 5 gph or 500 gph it is the same. What I am saying is I do not suscribe to the belief that water flows into the fuge, is cleaned at 15 gph and exits pristine back into the water colum. I believe the algae will remove the same amount of nutrients from the bulk water at higher or lower flow rates. Now If you have high flow and slow it into the fuge, the detrius will fall out of supension in the fuge and that may or may not be a good thing depending on wether you want to let it decomp. in the sand or mud, or have it fall out in a baffle where you can siphon it out. These are just my thoughts, I have been mulling a fuge over in my head but like I said no hard experince. Steve

 

[snobanker]

Although not an expert(me ), I tend to agree with Steve....It's all the same water, and whether it flows fast or slow through the fuge I would say it all spends the same amount of time in there in the long run. Slow rate...just takes longer for "all" the same water to flow through...fast flow...takes less time for "all" the same water to flow through, more times. It seems the same to me. Still has the same contact with the algae in there...assuming you're using the fuge for nutrient export that is.

 

[Ugla]

Yeah I found a good thread on the Antony Calfo forum on this. He thinks high flow is better to grow Chaeto in. This will allow a larger fuge too, so I guess that is the way I will go.

Thanks for al the input!

 

[snobanker]

I just got some Chaeto from LakeEd at the last PSAS meeting. He told me that it grows like crazy in his fuge and he has high flow, sounds good. Good luck

 

[LakeEd]

Stan,

On my old tank (75 gallon), I had a small compacted fuge, with my full flow moving thru it. My Chaeto grew good there.

Now, my new Sump/Fuge... allows me to have slower flow running thru my Fuge area, than thru the rest of the Sump. I would guess I'm still flowing about 300gph thru the Fuge area. I've noticed my Chaeto is going absolutely NUTZO now... requiring me to prune at least a quart Ziplock baggie every week, if not 2.

I guess, what I'm trying to say... Chaeto is one of the bestest Algae's to use... because it does well in high flow, and lower flow. I like it a lot.

 

[snobanker]

Ed, It must grow like crazy because yesterday my wife said, and I quote," that stringy looking seaweed stuff looks bigger". She had been out of town for a few days and the growth was more apparent to her

 

[LakeEd]

Stan,

I like the sound of that! The more it grows, the more its doing its stuff... in my oppinion! Glad all is working out for you! *smile*

 

[jesseb]

More flow helps limit Cyano and gives better circulation throughout the fuge/sump.