Help With switching to Fuge

[superhero]

Ok so i have been thinking about switching over to a fuge for quite some time now... i currently am running a simple wet dry filter and want to get more pods and water volume so i think i will be switching to a 55 gallon fuge some time in the near future i drew a little pic on paint of what i think it will look like... let me know if everything looks ok or if there is anything you would change for the better! Thanks Guys

-Tony

 

[natclanwy]

I see no pic

 

[superhero]

bump (added Pic)

 

[florida joe]

I see the pic looks good post a pic of your plumbing

 

[superhero]

right Now and what it will look like
and does anyone know a good site for cutting holes into tempered glass i remember seeing one someone knew about a long time ago but i forget what it was... thanks
-Tony

 

[natclanwy]

Looks good to me as well.
FYI: You cannot drill tempored glass period end of story, there are several inaccurate claims on the internet about being able to use different methods to create holes in tempored glass. Tempored tanks are drilled before they go through the temporing process.
You can possibly drill the back glass if it isn't tempored as well and use an overflow from glass-holes. The other option is to use a U-tube style HOB overflow box, which when setup and maintained properly is every bit as reliable as a drilled tank.

 

[superhero]

how do i know if it is tempered or not?

 

[natclanwy]

I have heard, lots of methods but at the same time I have heard there is no reliable way to tell so I don't know the exact answer to that question. I can't remember the specifics to the methods I have heard, try a google search and see what you come up with and I would try a couple of them and compare your results to the same method used on a known piece of tempored glass like the side windows of your vehicle.

 

[superhero]

Originally Posted by Superhero
http:///forum/post/3036731
right Now and what it will look like
and does anyone know a good site for cutting holes into tempered glass i remember seeing one someone knew about a long time ago but i forget what it was... thanks
-Tony
Ok i will do a google search and see what i can find...
and with the bottom picture a couple posts up... if i cant drill the 55 should i do a closed loop with my external pump and then use a submersable to return from the sump to the tank? because i want to use that external pump if i can...
-tony

 

[superhero]

i saw on another forum after doing a google search to see if anyone had sucessfully drilled a 55 that someone had used a simple u shaped pvc pipe to pull water to the external pump and i think that i will do the same thing instead of attempting to drill it and probally breaking at least a couple tanks in the process lol! Here is the new pic! i think i finally got the finished product what do you think?
-Tony

 

[superhero]

ok i was reading this other thread and someone said that you should have the protein skimmer before you have the fuge because if it is in a chamber after the fuge it will take out some of the beneficial pods and other things the fuge provides.. so do u think i should switch the first and last chambers and have the skimmer heater and all that stuff in the first chamber and then the bio balls in the last chamber?

 

[oceansidefish]

Toss the bioballs....You don't need them at all.

 

[hlcroghan]

+1 on that. Live rock rubble would be a much better choice. Way way better filtration! Other than that I would also drop the UV sterilizer because it can also kill beneficial things not just troublesome. Looks good so far!!

 

[superhero]

Ok so here is the new pic with some fish (lol very bored at work today

) and any ideas on what i should put in the 3rd and final chamber? Is there anything that would be beneficial to use in there or should i just leave it empty?

 

[superhero]

and i need to get a new skimmer because my old one just crapped out so i was thinking about getting the ASM G-2 Skimmer they have on this site... does anyone have one and what do u think about it?

 

[natclanwy]

I'm not sure if your drawing is represenative of what you are actually doing with the overflow but you need to have an overflow box also not just a U-tube. If you used it the way you have it drawn it would empty your entire tank into the sump and flooding your floor.
You can build a PVC overflow but IMO I would just get an Eshopps HOB U-tube overflow box. They are well built reliable and fairly inexpensive.
You don't want anything in the last chamber but the return pump and maybe a heater.

 

[superhero]

no i just drew a square for my overflow i already have an overflow that i have been using for 5 years

and as far at the u before the return pump it will work as long as before i start up the pump i place a powerhead and schoot water up the tube to fill it up and it should always stay filled that way as long as it is under water.