fuge???

[mujtba]

I wanted to make a fuge for my 55g. I was going to change my HOB 300GPH filter into one. i know some people may say its too small for my tank, but what does a fuge do that you need something big? doesnt it just collet algae or sumin?
does a fuge need lighting?
Can I use my HOB for it? Or if i put carbon in the HOB, would that be the same thing as a fuge?
is a fuge a refugium?

 

[viet-tin]

Thats would be too small for a refugium. A fuge is where a lot of biological filtration takes place. You can put plants inside to help reduce nitrates. Lighting may depend on what you put inside your fuge. If you have plants then you will need a light. A fuge is also good for the growth of many types of pods which will be natural food for your fish.

 

[cholland]

I am not an expert, but I will advise you on what I learned here on the boards.
Yes, a fuge is a refugium. You can use your HOB for a small one, but to really get the effects of nutrient export you will need something bigger. I just recently added one to my 55gal and it is a 10gal tank I bought at Wal-mart for $10.
The main purpose of a fuge is to lower your nitrate levels, that is what the macro algae use to grow, and it provides alittle more water volume for your tank. You will need lights for the algae to grow, but not as strong as your display tank. It will depend on the size of the fuge and what you have in there. You can search these boards for alittle more info on the different types of algae to put in there and their requirements.
HTH

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by cholland
The main purpose of a fuge is to lower your nitrate levels,
It's probably because I'm old school but I'm going to have to disagree. I do agree with everything else you said though.
A refugium is a place where a target organism or organisms can grow and/or reproduce without predators.
There are many windfall benefits to having a refugium but this is the main purpose.
Bang