Fuge options

[Mek0ng]

I have a 40g tank that I am considering using on my 90g setup, 6-8" deep sand bed, high flow with chaeto, lighting with 2 VHO daylight and full spectrum bulbs, the tank has a 1" over flow so around 400-500gph flow between sump and fuge.

My only worry is that like the last fuge I had setup, the sand bed gets a covering of cyano or other slime algae.

So does anyone have any suggestions? Like maybe RDSB bucket and chaeto in a rubbermaid storage container or something different from my plan above? I have a fish room now with enough room to work with and it doesnt have to look pretty.

Tank specs:
90g reef ready tank, 6x54watt T5, BRS phosphate reactor, Coralife Superskimmer 220, 20g sump, mostly soft corals, going to add a few LPS and SPS once the tank is re-established (getting moved across the room and cleaned out.) Light fish load planned, 2 black and white clowns, fairy wrasse, royal gramma, maybe a smaller tang or some chromis.

[Pufferpunk]

Isn't the flow supposed to be pretty slow across a fuge? I forgo cheato, which saves me from more lighting expense, since dosing with vitamin C, starves out the macro algae in there. I've never seen cyano in there either. Do have some in my tank right now but I think that's because I let my RODI filters lapse. Been doing lots of WC with 0 TDS water now.

Best fuge info on the net: http://www.melevsreef.com/

[Mek0ng]

Thanks

I have looked into C and vodka, I really dont want to mess with that, its more of the chemists approach, and Im not fond of test kits.

For the cheato I found that high flow, enough to keep the ball tumbling increase growth and ease of harvesting. If the flow got too low the chaeto would grow long and stingy forming a mat at the surface with the bottom part decomposing. This was in a 55g tank with one mj1200 and a seio, 220 VHO 6" DSB.

I am considering alternate options, too keep the slime off the sand, keeping it in the dark, and separating the chaeto in its own container, so I can just scrape the sides and let a filter sock collect the solids.

I am basing the idea of a RDSB from this long thread:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=595109


On a side note, I have been running the same RO membrane for 5+ years, replaced the 10micro sediment filter, 5 micro carbon, and 1 micro carbon, and DI stages twice in that time. My water is still less than 0 TDS ppm, 0phos, when should I change the membrane?

[Pufferpunk]

The RO membrane should be changed every 2 years, minimally. The 5 micro I change every 2 months, the 2 10s (one is a carbon filter) & change less often. Then there's the DI granules. The ones I use are colored, so I can see when they're used up. You might want to get your TDS tested elsewhere, just to be sure.

[Pufferpunk]

As far as VC dosing, there is no testing involved. Have you seen my chart? You still need to be testing for calcium, alkalinity & magnesium at least every 2 months, to be sure everything is functioning correctly.

[Mek0ng]

Its sure a long read, the thread on RC... Is it more about nutrient control or immunity systems? Do you have a link?

I am thinking of doing the 40g with DSB and cheato regardless of what else I employ, GFO, maybe vodka, maybe C, defiantly kalk and two part if I can automate it.

[Pufferpunk]

It started as a last ditch effort on my part to save some of my closing/melting/dying zoanthids, before I was willing to try using fungus treatments in my main tank. (I'm not sure the brown coating that occurred at 1st before the melting was even a fungus.) I tossed some vitamin C pills in there (don't know made me know to try that) & within a week they were open. I later found out that those pills had fillers I didn't want to have in my reef & also had a pH of 4. After a few months of dosing, I noticed a drop of pH to 7.8, where it has always stayed at a stable 8.3. Thats when I found this very old article: http://www.athiel.com/lib2/pguide/vitami1.html and started to post more about it on RC. The scientific-types got involved & were figuring out that the VC was actually able to rebuild collagen cells & an added bonus was reducing nitrate levels by carbon dosing, causing our skimmers to function much better. We formulated a dosing chart for buffered VC (sodium ascorbate pH of 7.1) I've been using that with great success & a nitrate of 0 at all times, for over 2 years now.

[Mek0ng]

so its like vodka in the fact that it causes a bacterial bloom, but better that it also provides vit C? Would a CSS 220 on a 90+20+40 reef be inadequate, I was told by my reef club that I should upgrade skimmers before vodka dosing.

Sounds interesting!

[Mek0ng]

in addition to C, what else do you dose?

[Pufferpunk]

I agree, you should definitely upgrade your skimmer 9that was gonna be my next post to you). I have an G2 on my 90g.

I also nightly dose Pedlow pellets for calcium, DIY alk & Epsom salt for magnesium (not often).

[Mek0ng]

What do you think of the Octopus Extreme 200? Would that be enough of a step up from the CSS220?

I guess I could sell a remora pro and the CSS220, maybe would have to part with a RC car, I think I could get ~$350 ready for a new skimmer, I was hoping to save up for a BRS 2 Part Doser (1.1 mL Per Minute) $100 + needs a timer.

[Mek0ng]

So what do you think? Go with the 40g -or- go with remote sand bed and dedicated chaeto bin?

[Pufferpunk]

I'd go with making the 40g into a sump/fuge. I don't know a whole lot about in sump skimmers. Mine came with one used. Have you checked the Used Equipment forum at RC?