Refugium help!

[tyler1503]

Hey everyone. I've recently set up my first large tank and having only owned nanos in the past, it's a completely different ball game. With that said, I have some questions regarding refugiums! I have an idea on the answers to some of these questions but would like to ask to be sure.
1) Is it ok to use these storage containers as the refugium itself? It doesn't say anything on the label about them being food grade.

2) I want to plumb it from my flexible hose return and have it gravity feed back into the first chamber of the sump. Should i T off the return line about mid way, add a valve then the hose to drain into the fuge? Or is there a better way? I like the idea of the valve straight after the T incase I need to take it off line for cleaning or whatever.
3) what sort of flow is recommended? I read slow flow so the water has a longer contact time with the macro algae so it will reduce nutrients more efficiently. But I also read high flow so more water is "treated" quicker. The slower flow makes more sense to me. I'm not wanting to keep chaeto, so it doesn't need to "tumble". I'm thinking caulerpa and dragons tongue to begin with.
4) that storage container holds about 24 gallons, but it will only be filled roughly 3/4 of the way. Is 18 gallons enough?
5) can I use an old desk lamp with a warm white (3000k?) incandescent bulb in it to grow algae? To me, it will work, but I don't see people doing that, so maybe there's something I haven't considered.
Thanks everyone

 

[zesty]

on the light subject.
Get the 65K color, this is about what I use. 100w, 65K spectrum and one of those AL shop reflectors that can clamp on. You will grow chaeto like made! You don't need it to tumble to grow, just have water running thru it.

Then just run your fuge light on a opposite schedule of your DT lights.

Happy macro growing!

 

[tyler1503]

Thanks for the tips I'll be sure to take note of them and try out the 6500K! I have 10W 6500K leds laying around somewhere. Maybe I can hook one up to a power supply. I don't know if that will be powerful enough though.
Anyone have any advice on the storage containers? That's one of my biggest concerns.

 

[tyler1503]

Bump.

 

[heathd.hd]

Pretty sure there will be no issues with containers. I did some research on meleves Web site and a bunch of others everything I've read says low flow from display tank. So tee off your return than add valve to control some water into your fuge and the rest into your skimmer area. It than depends on what type of macro algae you have in the fuge as to if you need a small power head in the fuge. I have a wp-10 in mine which rolls my cheato. I also went with the reef radiance fuge led light. Gives me just the lighting I need for macros and the price tag is affordable.

 

[zesty]

Just be careful with something like what you have shown up there. The walls are very thin and will bow out once you get it full of water. What I have seen done is these stock tanks that you can find at a farm supply store, like farm n fleet, or fleet farm (if northern WI), probably menards or something. These will bow, but just a little bit, they are much sturdier than the storage containers you were looking at.

 

[zesty]

Thanks for the tips I'll be sure to take note of them and try out the 6500K! I have 10W 6500K leds laying around somewhere. Maybe I can hook one up to a power supply. I don't know if that will be powerful enough though.

You just have the LEDs laying around or are they in a fixture?

 

[zesty]

I've heard good things from this light. There's a local member near me that couldn't grow cheato very well, then he got this light and BAM, took off...

Fuge-Lite LED Bulb - Reef Breeders LEDs

 

[zesty]

And for cheaper, here's a 65K LED light, no red/blue. But this is basically what a lot of people use for color spectrum and grow cheato like grazy.

ECO-LITE High Power 24W LED PAR38 Wide Flood 60Deg. Daylight Bulb - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com

 

[zesty]

Just be careful with something like what you have shown up there. The walls are very thin and will bow out once you get it full of water. What I have seen done is these stock tanks that you can find at a farm supply store, like farm n fleet, or fleet farm (if northern WI), probably menards or something. These will bow, but just a little bit, they are much sturdier than the storage containers you were looking at.

Well, since I can't edit this post... I wanted to add one more thing, with these style tanks, you can install bulkheads and plumb it into your system with some basic plumbing parts.
I've seen these stacked up in someone's basement. I think there was 4, 2 on top, 2 on bottom. They were all for various things, live rock, macros, etc...

 

[tyler1503]

Pretty sure there will be no issues with containers. I did some research on meleves Web site and a bunch of others everything I've read says low flow from display tank. So tee off your return than add valve to control some water into your fuge and the rest into your skimmer area. It than depends on what type of macro algae you have in the fuge as to if you need a small power head in the fuge. I have a wp-10 in mine which rolls my cheato. I also went with the reef radiance fuge led light. Gives me just the lighting I need for macros and the price tag is affordable.

Something's telling me they will be ok, but they aren't PSA rated. Or whatever the rating name is. My LFS uses them to sell yabbies out of without issues yet, but I worry about the abrasiveness of saltwater affecting it quickly.
Thanks for the flow and light info

Well, since I can't edit this post... I wanted to add one more thing, with these style tanks, you can install bulkheads and plumb it into your system with some basic plumbing parts.
I've seen these stacked up in someone's basement. I think there was 4, 2 on top, 2 on bottom. They were all for various things, live rock, macros, etc...

Thanks for the tips
My 6500k LEDs are single loose LEDs, not in a fixture.
I didn't think of the walls bowing, that's something I'll have to consider when it becomes crunch time. I have an old one that holds about 12 gallons and it hasn't bowed after being full for a few months, but with the larger one being so much taller it think it may.

 

[heathd.hd]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/27-gal-Str...ge-Tote-in-Black-and-Yellow-292015/202976606/

These ones hold alot of water. Very sturdy. I have a bunch for water changes.