Fuge flow concern

[Matt Miller]

I'm concerned about the water in my fuge not flowing much. The top doesn't seem to turn over, there's tiny bubbles on top of the water and sometimes food that runs through the overflow hangs out in the plants.

Do I need to try to get the water flowing through here differently or is this ok?

 

[MaiReef]

need a picture of your sump

 

[mcarroll]

Need to take a step back cuz it depends what you're trying to do with the refugium. Are the plants doing well now? What kind?

Also why is food flowing through? This probably should not be happening.

Only you can say for sure, but it could be a sign of overfeeding, or that you need to change how you feed so the food gets eaten vs going down the drain.

 

[Matt Miller]

Sorry that's a up shot inside the fuge, I think it's chaeto. And I've got 2 overflows but just 1 sock and sometimes a couple pieces run down to the sump. I am thinking about stopping the dry food cuz it usually runs to the sump.

Algae on left wall, there's a tiny snail and a couple tiny bristle stars in there but will be adding a turbo snail soon too.

 

[SteveSTL]

Turn your pumps off when you feed. That way everyone inside the tank gets a chance to eat without it going down the drain.

 

[Matt Miller]

Turn your pumps off when you feed. That way everyone inside the tank gets a chance to eat without it going down the drain.

Yeah I keep thinking I should do that lol thx.

 

[mcarroll]

I am thinking about stopping the dry food cuz it usually runs to the sump.

Dry food is best soaked in high quality fish oil (see the healthfood store) or one of the Selcon-like products. (You should probably be taking fish oil pills too, so just share with your tank for best economy.) That'll help.

You can also you a feeding ring (google it) or make something similar.

You can shut off flow, but that always seemed like bother.

Algae on left wall, there's a tiny snail and a couple tiny bristle stars in there but will be adding a turbo snail soon too.

A turbo is too big for all but the largest tanks. They usually starve to death in less than a year in smaller tanks.

Try smaller snails if you have a smaller tank. Ceriths are one of my all-around favorites as they're not afraid to burrow, get on the rocks OR the glass. They are small, but you can have as many as you need. Plus if you do have enough food for them, they'll lay eggs and make more!!!

 

[Matt Miller]

Dry food is best soaked in high quality fish oil (see the healthfood store) or one of the Selcon-like products. (You should probably be taking fish oil pills too, so just share with your tank for best economy.) That'll help.

You can also you a feeding ring (google it) or make something similar.

You can shut off flow, but that always seemed like bother.



A turbo is too big for all but the largest tanks. They usually starve to death in less than a year in smaller tanks.

Try smaller snails if you have a smaller tank. Ceriths are one of my all-around favorites as they're not afraid to burrow, get on the rocks OR the glass. They are small, but you can have as many as you need. Plus if you do have enough food for them, they'll lay eggs and make more!!!

Lol yeah probably should but no fish oil for me, yet. I just ordered one of those feeder rings thx.

I can get a couple more of those cerith snails no problem and will hold off on the turbo, thanks.

I am at work right now but can take a better sump pic later tonight.

I feed once a day, sometimes every other day. Mix of frozen food and dry ...plankton I think. I'm debating buying a bag of pods too.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

For chato and most macros yea you may want to bump up the flow. I added a powerhead.
A $3.99 12v one works quite well.

 

[Reef_Collector28]

First there shouldn't be a reason excess food is down there unless you don't run filter socks or filter floss. Also the water in a lot of sumps get stagnant like that and form a layer. The fuge area ideally is supposed to have low flow but maybe your return pump isn't turning the water volume enough. Easy fix is buy a tiny cheap power head and put it on the sump or one of those small surface skimmer/filters .

 

[Matt Miller]

First there shouldn't be a reason excess food is down there unless you don't run filter socks or filter floss. Also the water in a lot of sumps get stagnant like that and form a layer. The fuge area ideally is supposed to have low flow but maybe your return pump isn't turning the water volume enough. Easy fix is buy a tiny cheap power head and put it on the sump or one of those small surface skimmer/filters .

I only have 1 sock with 2 overflows. I will get another put on eventually. I thought about taking the first divider that comes out of the fuge towards the return. I am looking at small powerhead too. Thx

 

[Matt Miller]

I could drill some holes or remove this divider.

 

[Jewels2484]

I'm having the same issue in my fuge as well. I have a Red Sea max 650 and the way it's set up, the whole sump/fuge area doesn't get hardly any flow. So I've decided to buy a small powerhead to put in there.

 

[pdt7361]

I have an Eshopps ADV-200 3rd generation sump and noticed poor flow through the refug section. So what I did was use the empty port on my manifold and ran a tube from it directly into the fuge.

 

[gcrawford]

I'd leave it be... my fuge does better with low flow. Maybe add some critters and watch them eat the food.

 

[Jewels2484]

I'd leave it be... my fuge does better with low flow. Maybe add some critters and watch them eat the food.

Only thing I worry about with critters is them getting into my skimmer or return pump and screwing something up [emoji53]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Only thing I worry about with critters is them getting into my skimmer or return pump and screwing something up [emoji53]

It won't. You fuge looks good.
I do get a lot of stuff in my fuge. I put that down to good flow in the dt keeping stuff in suspension as it should so it gets to the skimmer.

Do you off hand know your return rate?

 

[Jewels2484]

It won't. You fuge looks good.
I do get a lot of stuff in my fuge. I put that down to good flow in the dt keeping stuff in suspension as it should so it gets to the skimmer.

Do you off hand know your return rate?

I didn't post a pic of mine, I'm not the original poster [emoji4]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I didn't post a pic of mine, I'm not the original poster [emoji4]

Lol.
Phones.

 

[EW_Fish]

The baffle on the left of the fuge should be taken out and should make a bubble trap to the right and lower your water level so it can pour over the top and you wont have any stand still