Setting up Fuge for mandarin dragonet.

[nikkifro8994]

I want to add a mandarin to my 29 gallon tank. Right now I have a black perc clown, 3 firefish, 1 red hermit crab, and 8 turbo snails. I'm adding 2-3 small corals at the end of March. I won't be adding a mandarin for an absolute minimum of 6 months. He'll probably be my Christmas present to myself. This will give me plenty of time to get a large population of pods that he can't diminish. I also plan on adding a bottle of pods once every month or two.
On my display tank I have an aquaclear 50, an aquaclear 20, and an aquaclear 30 that was modified into an HOB Fuge with some chaeto for the 10 gallon that I upgraded from. I also have a Red Sea airlift skimmer rated for 60 gallons. There's about 25+ pounds of live rock and another 8 or so of base rock.
I have an empty 5 gallon and an empty 10 gallon tank that I could use as the Refugium. Which would be better? Also, I know the basics of a Fuge. I'll add LR rubble and chaeto for the pods to live in. My only issue is that I have no idea how to plumb it into my 29 gallon display. People start talking about return pumps and overhead and I get lost. Can you explain this in very basic language? I can place the Fuge either below the display or next to it.
Also, my filters and skimmer will stay in the display. The only equipment in the Fuge will be a heater, a light, and whatever pumps and such I'll need to plumb it into the display.

 

[beaslbob]

You can place the fug below, next to, or even above the display.
If above the pods could just drain to the display.
In setting up a refug sump I would use sepearte containers for each. Then the level in the fuge remains high then drains to the sump where the water levels vary with evporation and water additions.
Get a good return pump. at least a mag 5.
I also suggest you setup a test system in the garage and play with that until you understand how to adjust the system for no floods.
I couple of 30g storage containers (to simulate display and refugium) plus a smaller container (5g or so) as the sump.
You can evn use those containers for your final refug and sump later.
You also can make a hob overflow from $20 or so of pvc pipe.
Once the system is setup do the following tests.
1) insure the sump does not flood when power goes out.
2) insure normal operation returns when power comes back on.
3) fail (block, break siphon, etc) the overflow to insure the display (upper container) does not flood. Sump should run dry before the flood.
The return to normal operation and draw a line on the sump for the water level.
Then in normal operation never never fill the sump above that line.
After you do these testings you will discover then when power goes out the pumped return lines to the display will siphon water back to the sump. So place the outputs above the display water level or drill small holes in the return line to allow air to enter under power out.
This is all very confusing but once done it starts to make sense and from that point on seems easy.
I also recommend only chaeto or other macro algaes in the refugium. No live rock.
still all that's just my .02

 

[nikkifro8994]

I have a battery backup on my tank so there's no possibility for an outage. The battery turns on immediately after the power is cut. It's like a little baby generator. It saved my freshwater dwarf puffer tank during an 18 hour outage from a storm.
I might be able to convince my boyfriend to build a shelf above the display but it's easier to place the Fuge under the display on the bottom part of the stand or on the other stand next to the display. Where would be the best place to put it to get the most pods in the display?
Could I just set it up separately with it's own filter and heater and then net pods out every day or two? I know that I won't get the benefits of the chaeto pulling out nitrates. I have some chaeto already in a DIY Fuge with a modified aquaclear 30 filter which is supposed to help pull out the nitrates. My numbers have been significantly lower since adding it to the 10 gallon that I upgraded from.
With a completely separate system, all I'll need to buy is chaeto and more salt water and pods, obviously. I already have a heater and light with a timer and I can put the aquaclear 20 on the 10 gallon. It's only on the 29 to help seed the new aquaclear 50.
Would a completely separate setup work if I'm only cultivating pods? I'd feed that tank just like the display but reduce it to one or two cubes a week instead of one a day. Pods need to eat too! And then net out pods every day or two to feed the mandarin when I get him.

 

[bang guy]

Is there a way for you to install the refugium next to the display tank in such a way that the tops are at the same height? That would be my recommendation if it's possible.

 

[nikkifro8994]

If I can get it built then the top can be level with the top of the display. How would I connect them? Just a symphony between the two tanks?

 

[bang guy]

With both water levels the same it is safe to put a couple/few 'U' tubes between the tanks. With these in place any water you force into the refugium will cause water to return to the display through the 'U' tubes.

Next you need to find a way to get water from the display to the refugium. Can you have the output of your skimmer dump into the refugium?

 

[nikkifro8994]

My skimmer is very cheap. It has no output, just a collection cup. It's the Red Sea Berlin airlift model. Pretty much traps stuff in tiny air bubbles that create a foam and collect in the cup. I got it for $20 on amazon.com.
http://www.***********.com/Red_Sea_Berlin_Airlift_60_Internal_Protein_Skimmer_In_Sump_Venturi_Protein_Skimmers_For_Tanks_Up_to_100_Gallons-Red_Sea-RS1311-FIPSISVSUH-vi.html

 

[nikkifro8994]

I want to get the Fuge system set up in the next couple of weeks and add a mandarin around Christmas. That should be plenty of time for me to have an established, self sustaining population of pods with replenishment once each month.
Right now the plan is to set up the 10 gallon fuge tank so the top is level with the 29 gallon display. Add chaeto, live rock rubble, and 1 or 2 bottles of pods ~4,000 each. Connect Fuge to display using u tubes. Do I need a pump from the display to the Fuge?

 

[bang guy]

There are lots of ways to get water from the display to the fuge. I'll think about what might be best.

Right now what I'm thinking is putting a powerhead in the refugium and attaching airline hose from the display to the venture on the powerhead. This will provide both waterflow inside the refugium and a gradual flow from the display. If this ends up a good option use opaque airline to the venture. Otherwise it gets clogged with algae.

Can you set up the Aquaclear filter to pull water from the display and dump it into the refugium?

Or, a small powerhead used as a pump to push water from the display into the refugium using a hose. Since the tanks are at the same level this can work.

I was just thinking, instead of 'U' tubes, it should be 'J' tubes with the long end in the refugium. You can stack the reef rubble over the bottom of the 'J' to hold it in place, prevent algae from clogging it, and make it easy for the pods to take a ride through the 'J'. First thing you will notice is the Harpacticoid Copepods setting up home inside the 'J' tubes...

 

[nikkifro8994]

Ok. J tubes to put water from the refugium to the display. The power head would probably work best. I can't make the aquaclear pull from one and dump into the other. What rate gph should I have on the powerhead?

 

[bang guy]

I don't think the rate matters much, it just needs to be a positive flow in one direction.

IMO the higher the flow rate the higher the odds of an overflow. If it were me I would stick to 50gph or so.

 

[nikkifro8994]

Ok. 50 gph powerhead in the refugium with an airline from the display. J tubes connecting the tanks. Tops of tanks level. Fuge has LR rubble, chaeto, and 2 bottles of pods. Does it need a light and, if so, should it run constantly, with the display, or opposite the display?

 

[bang guy]

You can set the powerhead in the display to push water from the display using a short hose (~50gph) or you can use the venture in the refugium to suck water from the display (~5gph).

Just do one bottle of pods and let them reproduce.

Light is only needed if you want to grow macroalgae. However; the algae that will naturally grow if there is light will be food to support a larger colony of pods. If it were me I would grow macroalgae and have a light over the refugium. It could be on anywhere from 8 - 24 hours a day. I would probably opt for 12 hours opposite the display tank lighting.

 

[nikkifro8994]

Ok. First I have to build a custom stand to get the surfaces at the same height.

 

[bang guy]

If there's any margin for error, try to error on the side where the refugium is higher.