What is a Fuge?
- Thread starter laxzach
- Start date
lion_crazz
Active Member
A fuge is a refugium; you're right.
Refugiums have many purposes. For me, I use it to get rid of nitrates, phosphates, and silicates, as well as have a safe place for pods and other micro-critters to reproduce. This is also where I have my mandarin, and a ton of coral frags.
This is my 20 gallon refugium. It sits next to my 210, and has its own stand and all so that I can view it easier. Most people keep their fuges inside thier stand though.
Refugiums have many purposes. For me, I use it to get rid of nitrates, phosphates, and silicates, as well as have a safe place for pods and other micro-critters to reproduce. This is also where I have my mandarin, and a ton of coral frags.
This is my 20 gallon refugium. It sits next to my 210, and has its own stand and all so that I can view it easier. Most people keep their fuges inside thier stand though.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Yes, it has to be plumbed to your main tank. Macroalgae absorbs and gets rid of nitrates, phosphates, and silicates, and produces oxygen for your tank as a waste-product of photosynthesis.
Pods feed slow-eating fish such as mandarins, gobies, seahorses, pipefish, some blennies, etc.
Pods feed slow-eating fish such as mandarins, gobies, seahorses, pipefish, some blennies, etc.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Theoretically, I guess you could do it that way. It is a little more complex than just a tube though.
Alyssia knows more about sea horses, so I will let her answer that one for sure. I don't think that would be possible because of the size of the tank, but I am not very experienced with seahorses, so I don't know.
Alyssia knows more about sea horses, so I will let her answer that one for sure. I don't think that would be possible because of the size of the tank, but I am not very experienced with seahorses, so I don't know.
alyssia
Active Member
Originally Posted by Laxzach
If I got a 20gal fuge could it live in there with macroalge and like 15lbs LR?
I guess so, but I have never heard of anyone keeping one in a fuge. They also have to be fed at least twice daily, they can't live only on pods (at least I don't think they can).
If I got a 20gal fuge could it live in there with macroalge and like 15lbs LR?
I guess so, but I have never heard of anyone keeping one in a fuge. They also have to be fed at least twice daily, they can't live only on pods (at least I don't think they can).
iluvreefs
New Member
I have a 29g SW tank with seahorses only. They require brine shrimp to eat. You can either buy the frozen brine and then add a vitamin/mineral additive like Zoe or buy live brine shrimp from your LFS. A good size net of live brine shrimp run me about $2. You can also buy the eggs to make your own baby brine. I found that my live brine have started laying eggs in the seahorse tank (don't know if that's a good thing or not). The only thing you need to know is you need to have another fish tank if you decide to start raising live brine shrimp. The other thing is, the brine shrimp need brewer's yeast to eat in order to survive.
randoke
New Member
Thanks for the response guys. I have a couple of questions b/c I'm slow 
1. So, I can have a 20 gallon or so refugium, set up, next to my 125 gallon SWA? i also have a sump underneath. Would I have some sort of piping and pumps to exchange water between the swa and refugue?
2. How do you grow the microalgae you talk about?
It almost sounds like you can have two tanks that are interconnected?
1. So, I can have a 20 gallon or so refugium, set up, next to my 125 gallon SWA? i also have a sump underneath. Would I have some sort of piping and pumps to exchange water between the swa and refugue?
2. How do you grow the microalgae you talk about?
It almost sounds like you can have two tanks that are interconnected?
lion_crazz
Active Member
You do have two tanks that are interconnected. You would have to make sure the refugium is higher than the sump, so that the refugium can drain back to the sump via gravity. You would place a pump in the sump in order to pump water up to the refugium.
The only thing you need to grow MACROalgae is good lighting and some water flow. You do not want to grow MICROalgae.
The only thing you need to grow MACROalgae is good lighting and some water flow. You do not want to grow MICROalgae.
J
jaybird101
Guest
I have some questions too.
Lion- with your intake and outflow at the top, how do the pods get back to your show tank?
Did you cut the holes for the intake/outflows yourself? If so, how without breaking the glass.
I have a 10 gal tank and want to convert it to a fuge or sump.
Which is better?
And what kind of lites do you need?
Lion- with your intake and outflow at the top, how do the pods get back to your show tank?
Did you cut the holes for the intake/outflows yourself? If so, how without breaking the glass.
I have a 10 gal tank and want to convert it to a fuge or sump.
Which is better?
And what kind of lites do you need?
J
jaybird101
Guest
bump to lion
gen1dustin
Member
One quick question sinc everyone is joining in. Is it best to have the fuge return & take from my sump wet/dry filter or or do it from the main tank? Or should it take it from the main tank & drain into the sump or vice-versa. Hope I didn't throw anyone off there.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by jaybird101
I have some questions too.
Lion- with your intake and outflow at the top, how do the pods get back to your show tank?
Did you cut the holes for the intake/outflows yourself? If so, how without breaking the glass.
I have a 10 gal tank and want to convert it to a fuge or sump.
Which is better?
And what kind of lites do you need?
I drilled the left side of my refuge and put the two drains in. I used a hole saw to do that.
It all depends on what you currently have (as far as what to do with your 10 gallon).
All you really need is a small power compact light. I run a 65 watt power compact light, which you can get for $30.
I have some questions too.
Lion- with your intake and outflow at the top, how do the pods get back to your show tank?
Did you cut the holes for the intake/outflows yourself? If so, how without breaking the glass.
I have a 10 gal tank and want to convert it to a fuge or sump.
Which is better?
And what kind of lites do you need?
I drilled the left side of my refuge and put the two drains in. I used a hole saw to do that.
It all depends on what you currently have (as far as what to do with your 10 gallon).
All you really need is a small power compact light. I run a 65 watt power compact light, which you can get for $30.