Input on this fuge design.

[sparky101]

This is the design i just finished building. It's a 10gal fuge.(the only size that will fit under my stand)
tell me what you think of it.
I'm also trying to make use of my bakpak2 by hanging it off the back of the fuge. It sits about perfectly, i'll just have to extend the intake a little so the rio 800 will sit down in the water. I'll also extend the output so that it returns towards the start of the fuge. (less chance of bubbles getting back to main tank)
display tank is a 46g bowfront by the way. and i'm using a utube overflow to get h2o to the fuge.
Let me know pros/cons?
Thanks

 

[sparky101]

Really what I want to know is if anyone thinks the skimmer idea will work ok. It seems like a good idea on paper to me, anyone else?

 

[geoj]

I think if you give some measurements you will get more posts
From the post I got on my sump/tank idea your return chamber may be small

 

[sparky101]

Hope this is better. The return pump area is 4" which was big enough for the pump i planned on using but found the specs online and the gph at 4' head is not near enough. Hopefully it's enough space for a different pump.

 

[geoj]

You want to know how much water there is in the return area so to know how much evaporation you can have before needing to top-off. All of the evaporation will be shown in the return area.

 

[sparky101]

will evap show at all in the display tank or will every drop reduce the return pump chamber only. That chamber is 6" tall x 9 3/4 long x 4" wide.
I figured a 2" drop in water in that chamber is abou 1/3 of a gallon. That's not that much, maybe need to look into a topoff system.
Ever heard of the gerbil method? Is it a decent way to topoff?

 

[geoj]

I use a Peristaltic pump from Control Company
One of theses
Cat. No. 3384 Variable-Speed Peristaltic Tubing Pump -- Ultra-Low Flow 0.005 to 0.900 ml/minute
Cat. No. 3385 Variable-Speed Peristaltic Tubing Pump -- Low Flow 0.03 to 8.20 ml/minute
Attachment 235848

 

[sparky101]

that looks like a nice setup but i'm pretty tight on $$ so I was looking for more of a "redneck" setup for water topoff.
Any ideas?

 

[geoj]

You can use a power head to run a drip line from the freshwater reserve. You can tee the end and add a valve. The valve controls the drip rate and the tee returns the extra water back to the freshwater reserve to help keep the power head from burning out from head presser. This is hard to control but with a timer switch it will work.

 

[ifirefight]

Originally Posted by sparky101 http:///forum/post/3188245
that looks like a nice setup but i'm pretty tight on $$ so I was looking for more of a "redneck" setup for water topoff.
Any ideas?
You want "redneck"...Im your man. I was using this set-up for dosing for a while...until I upgraded. But, I dont see any reason you couldnt use this for a top off set-up.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/261856/my-low-budget-dripper

 

[handbanana]

Awesome Fuge design, I only have space for a ten gal under my tank as well. made a sump with my ten gal. like your design. how much did you spend for the glass baffels? I might try to make a tiny fuge useing a gutted HOB bio-wheel. IM not sure it will work but its worth a try. dont have any room for any more stuff under my stand

 

[sparky101]

well thanks
the panels are acrylic panels i got at home depot along with some aquarium safe silocone for about $25 all together.
If your going to build your own I would recommend using 1/4" or thicker panels, I didn't know and got 1/8" size and when I filled it up with water the panel between the fuge and return pump area bows out cause of the pressure. I think i'm going to drill some holes about an inch down from the top of the fuge panels so it can't hold as much water, that might help

I'm also thinking of buying/trading for a marineland 100 in sump skimmer instead of using my cpr bakpak. My LFS has a used one for $50 and I might be able to talk them into trading straight across.
Does anyone have one of these skimmers, marineland 100? My only concern is i'll have to put it into the return chamber and I don't know how many bubbles that thing will release. I don't want to be sending a ton of tiny bubb's up into my DT.

 

[sparky101]

Decided against the marineland 100.
After a little research i found that i would be sending micro bubbles to my DT most likely and thats not cool......soooooooooo......i think i'll go back to my original plan of the bakpak hanging on my fuge.
One problem is that the pipe on the skimmer is of no exact plumbing size. I took the pieces to HomDep and couldn't get any fittings to fit on them.
Should I go with flexible tubing and hose clamps?
Anyone have any suggestions?
I also noticed on another post of a fuge that the return line had a tee on it with the horozintal part returning back to the start of the fuge. What would be the reason for this?