# What do you think of this fuge??



## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

here is the link to this ebay item..

http://cgi.ebay.com/refugium-filter-125-gallon-aquarium-protein-skimmer_W0QQitemZ7764814225QQcategoryZ46310QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

The fuge itself is Ok, The skimmer is crap. Why not get yourself a 20G Long tank and get some Glass baffles cut at your local Lowes. Then use aquarium silicone to seal them in. The glass cut to your dimensions will cost you less than $15 and if you get a used 20G Long you got it made. Then all you need is a pump, HOB overflow and a light. I built both of mine and am going to build another for our third reef. For a Skimmer I'd look at the Coralife Super Skimmers. Great skimmers for the price.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Glass Baffle??

What would i do at lowes exactly..


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

You would measure the inside of the glass tank to palce the baffles. Baffles are like small "Road Blocks" for water. You can check out how to build sumps and baffles at www.melevsreef.com. After you know the heigth and width you need for the baffles you just have lowes cut the glass to those dimensions for you. 

Hope that helps.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Is that what you have to do to make one because that loods very complicated it looks easier to just buy one... And i need one soon. That would take me months. Are there any easier ones?


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

why is that skimmer crap?? 
Is mine worse/seaclone...
What is a HOB overflow?


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> Is that what you have to do to make one because that loods very complicated it looks easier to just buy one... And i need one soon. That would take me months. Are there any easier ones?


Melev makes his from acrylic. He also makes them very complicated but perfect. Mine took me all of 30 minutes to make after I got home from lowes with the glass and 24 hours for the silicone to dry & cure. It's not hard.


I'll include a picture of the last one I built so you get the idea.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> why is that skimmer crap??
> Is mine worse/seaclone...
> What is a HOB overflow?


The seaclown is pretty bad. The one in that fuge is probably just as bad or worse. Why.....No name brand, cheap price, cheap construction and no details about the skimmer are listed because there are no details. :roll: 

HOB=Hang On Back


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

And also if I make this fuge..
The thing i am most concerned about is the water overflowing..
I will get the overflow..$50 at LFS then the Tubes I havent asked about but i don't know where to get them..
What if the water comes to fast and cant be pused up in time?? 
How powerful of a pump would i need so the fuge doesn't get drained???

Do i need to drill the side of my fuge?? The LFS said they would but im not sure why??

Does it matter where you put the glass?? can't you just have two peices of glass/cage then the pump??


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Is that your skimmer to the right??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> And also if I make this fuge..
> The thing i am most concerned about is the water overflowing..
> I will get the overflow..$50 at LFS then the Tubes I havent asked about but i don't know where to get them..
> What if the water comes to fast and cant be pused up in time??
> ...


Get the U tube type overflow box. It comes with the Utube. Your LFS will also have the hoses you need to hook up the overflow box and return pump.
The water flows down at the same rate as the return pump can pump it so it won't overflow too fast.
A RIO 2100 would be a great return pump that's not ridiculusly expensive.

I didn't drill mine, Just have the drain hose laying in the left side in the pic.

The glass is done the way it is in mine to act as a bubble trap to keep bubbles from the skimmer from getting back into the tank. It is a good idea to do it that way.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> Is that your skimmer to the right??


My Skimmer is on the Left, It's a Coralife Super Skimmer. The return pump is on the right.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

oh thats what i meant.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

So i really only need 4 peices of glass right? Well at least thats all i can see.

What kind of light would i need?
Or what do you have


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

And how much do you think this will all cost??
The skimmer is like 90 alone...
Do you know how much yours was??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> So i really only need 4 peices of glass right? Well at least thats all i can see.
> 
> What kind of light would i need?
> Or what do you have


Yes, Only "need" 4! You can do 6 and do the same on the right as is on the left if you choose. That's up to you. You would have 2 bubble traps that way.

I use an old Flourescent fixture that came with a 55G tank. Just sat it on top.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> And how much do you think this will all cost??
> The skimmer is like 90 alone...
> Do you know how much yours was??


Depends....If you find a used 20G long tank, $20 would be a good price. $10-$15 for the glass cut bought and cut at Lowes. I paid $110 for my skimmer locally. Tube of Aquarium Silicone is $4. Hoses $10 max. Return Pump, $60 max.

Then you have a quality fuge and quality skimmer plus you get to brag that you built it yourself.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

is there a advantage to two?

the bottom of my tank is only 11 inches wide will a 20gL fit??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> the bottom of my tank is only 11 inches wide will a 20gL fit??


Ahhhh, Nope! It won't.

So in that case, You build it out of a 10G. Which is exactly what the one in that picture is anyway. My other one is a 20 Long.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

So when i make this fuge I won't need anything else except the fuge and a skimmer??

My dad talked to some guy and he recomended a canister also??

And then another guy from the _evil_ LFS said that I needed to run carbon with my emperor 400 in addition with the fuge??

I am going to menards(like Lowes) to get some aquarium silicone and all they sell is plexi glass... Could I use that insted or would you recomend glass.

After I make this fuge will i need to keep the other filters on for a while like you have to do with a wet/dry?


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

You do not need a canister filter or even a hang on back type. A canister is good to have for sucking out crap when you clean the tank but is not required. I have no canister and no carbon in any of my 3 reefs.

You can use acrylic but the silicone will not bond with it well. Thats why glass on glass or acrylic on acrylic is recommended. If possible, I'd get glass to get a better seal inside.

If you have a good amount of live rock then you should not need to run the others after the fuge is in place but it won't hurt anything to run them for a week or two.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Ok Ill try to wait untill I can get to a Lowes.. Is Plexiglass acrilic??


Do I want an Overflow with a prefilter or without??

Why would it even be an advantage to have activated carbon??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Plexi & Acrylic are very similar. Neither will bond to glass perfectly.

I don't use a prefilter because it can trap food and other crap creating Nitrates.

Carbon is good for removing medications and clarifying the water. That's about all.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

What gallon tank is that 10 gallon fuge on??

Will this be enough for my 55??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> What gallon tank is that 10 gallon fuge on??
> 
> Will this be enough for my 55??


It's on my wife's 55G Reef. :king:


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Alright I am working on getting the supplies...

And that is all she has right??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Yep. The Fuge and a Coralife Super Skimmer 65. And of course powerheads in the tank just for circulation.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Will the rio 2100 still be good or would it be better to get a smaller pump since i am using a smaller tank?


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

2100 or 2500 will be just fine


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Alright thanks for all your help and just one more question...

Do the tubes from the overflow go directly into the skimmer or do they just go to the tank??

What would you put in the fuge??
What Type of macro calerpa or cheato??
Sand Miracle mud what type of alge/mangrove??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> Alright thanks for all your help and just one more question...
> 
> Do the tubes from the overflow go directly into the skimmer or do they just go to the tank??
> 
> ...


The hose from the overflow box goes right into the left side of my fuge. The skimmer has it's own pump to pull water in and it returns to the fuge on the left side.

Cheato, Definately. Calurpa can go sexual and be bad for your tank.

I use live sand but some say Mircle Mud is beeter....It's pricey though.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Alright I just got the PS and the RIO2100 in.

On the PS do you use the bubble stopper with the foam in it?It doesn't look like it...

My pump doesnt look like yours....

The PS doesn't fit on my left side so i will have to flip flop yours...


Do i need sand or can i just have plants?

You have more than just chaeto in there...
What is that other stuff and could that help me?


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

I do not use the bubble trap that came with the skimmer.

Swapping ends should be fine.

You can have sand or not. Not needed. Just use Cheato. I have some Caulerpa that I can't get rid of and it's a pain in the bum. Avoid it.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Oh and what light spectrum should the light on my tank be??
6500k if possible...

how many watts?? i saw this 25w sunlight lamp at walmart today that was compact florecent would that work or should i use a plantlight??


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> Oh and what light spectrum should the light on my tank be??
> 6500k if possible...
> 
> how many watts?? i saw this 25w sunlight lamp at walmart today that was compact florecent would that work or should i use a plantlight??


The light you are talking about should work just fine.

Nothing special is needed. I use a standard hood that came with a 55G tank and the standard florescent bulb that came with it on the one you saw.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

my refugium isnt working...

the water is going fine but the returnpump pumps too much water out for the overflow to catch up...

in contrast the pump is pumping up like half air...


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Get a "Ball Valve" Available at any hardware store. One may have even come with your pump. Install the valve in the return line and turn it to reduce the flow.


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## FishermanRob (Feb 25, 2006)

> my refugium isnt working...
> 
> the water is going fine but the returnpump pumps too much water out for the overflow to catch up...
> 
> in contrast the pump is pumping up like half air...


Some people might suggest just using a ball valve to restrict the flow of water up from the pump to that main tank. However, this puts extra stress on your pump. A better (but more complicated) solution would be to split the return line, with one end going up to the tank, and the other going right back into the part of the sump where the pump is pumping out of of. You can then put a ball valve on both of your split lines. Leave the valve (VALVE1) going up to the main tank all the way open, and partially close the other (VALVE2) until you get it to where just the right amount of water is being returned so the pump doesn't run out of water. Hopefully my crude diagram will help make up for my poor explination...

(Ignore the dots... they are there to make sure your browser renders the spacing correctly)

. . . . _____
. . . .|. . . .|
. . . .|. .|| |. .TANK. . ||
. . . .|. .|| . . . . . . . .||
. . . .|. .||=========||
. . . .|
. . .VALVE1
. . . .|___ ____
. . . .. . . |. . . .|
. ||. . . . |. . VALVE2 .||
. ||. . . . |. . . .|. . . .||
. ||. . PUMP. . . .. . . .||
. ||==============||


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

oh ok i have heard of that before i will try that after i get a Y-valve


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

ok i got my algae in today! Its i about a sandwichbag size of chatemorpha.

It is in a very tight ball should I pull it apart?
There are some wide flat leaves in the mix.... is that chaeto?
should i run my lights 24/7 or just at night???


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

I'd pull it apart a little. The leaves sound like mangrove leaves. Take them out and trash them. With just Chateo, Run the lights on a reverse cycle from the tank lights. On when tank is off. If you add Caulurpa, Run 24/7 to avoid it going sexual.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

is calerpa better?? (you said avoid it...)
or can i just run chaeto?

After this i think im done. 
Ill post a pic so i know if there is something wrong...


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Just run Chaeto! Calurpa can go sexual and is not fun if it does. Chaeto will not. With just Chaeto, Run the light opposite the main tank lights.  

I look forward to the pics. You and I have worked together on this for a while now and I'm sure you did a great job.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

thanks

can i put anything in there with the algea such as starfish, hermit crabs...

alright i think you have answered all of my questions thanks for all of your help!


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

No need for starfish.....Add hermits and snails for cleanup in the fuge and you're all set. 

Always glad to help.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

Here are some pics of my completed FUGE!!!

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Fishnewb1/IMG_2061.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Fishnewb1/IMG_2062.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Fishnewb1/IMG_2065.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Fishnewb1/IMG_2066.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h214/Fishnewb1/IMG_2067.jpg

please tell me if something is wrong because I would love to know.


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## Fishnewb1 (Mar 24, 2006)

wow i dont know why it didnt show up but when you look at them take a look at that white ball that just sprouted up on a piece of LR...


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Looks great! Looks alot like one I built.  Great job! I don't see anything noticable that needs changing. Be proud, You did it.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

Fishnewb1 said:


> wow i dont know why it didnt show up but when you look at them take a look at that white ball that just sprouted up on a piece of LR...



?? Not sure.


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