Triton with Eshopps R300 sump?

[Want2BS8ed]

Would this idea work?
I have my carbon / GFO reactor in my skimmer section. I could run the outlet into the fuge.
Would that be enough?

The flow would likely be adequate, however the carbon and GFO would strip nutrients beneficial to the refugium.

Ideally you would place the pump in the chamber where the filter sock used to go.

M

 

[Ocean Lotion]

A lot of us do not use socks. 2ith the smaller fuge section of eshopps new design I would forget the socks and grow chaeto in both the sock and fuge s3ctions. You already have the. Lights anyway.

 

[Lasse]

Would this idea work?
I have my carbon / GFO reactor in my skimmer section. I could run the outlet into the fuge.
Would that be enough?

If you do not use GFO - only carbon - it could be a good idea. Its not a good idea to recirculate PO4 free water to the fuge the basic idea will be lost.

The reason for my suggestion - what I understand - the flow from the DT is divided between the fuge and the filter socks. In my head it is important to get whole flow from the DT through the fuge not only a small loop. This is based on an assumption that your fuge part of the sump manage a higher flow.

By the way - the Chaeto ball in your pictures look very healthy. Funny with the red algae - I also have those on the top of my Chaeto

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Dj City]

If you do not use GFO - only carbon - it could be a good idea. Its not a good idea to recirculate PO4 free water to the fuge the basic idea will be lost.

The reason for my suggestion - what I understand - the flow from the DT is divided between the fuge and the filter socks. In my head it is important to get whole flow from the DT through the fuge not only a small loop. This is based on an assumption that your fuge part of the sump manage a higher flow.

By the way - the Chaeto ball in your pictures look very healthy. Funny with the red algae - I also have those on the top of my Chaeto

Sincerely Lasse

I took the GFO offline about two months ago. I'm only running rox 8 carbon.

I'm going to loop the return from my reactor to my fuge.

 

[Dj City]

My next dilemma is lighting my fuge.

 

[Dj City]

I have an Amazon grow light. I was using the Growstar over the skimmer section along with a Fluval Sea marine and teef nano led light.

I think the Growstar is going to be too much light for the size of the fuge. I put it over the fuge, turned it on and almost went blind. The fuge has white walls and the power of the light plus the reflection of the light is really very bright.

I have the Fluval Sea marine and reef nano led light over the fuge right now.

http://usa.hagen.com/fluval-sea-nano-performance-led-lamp

Is this enough light to get good growth?

If not, would the Growstar work or would it be too much.

This is the light...
UFO Led Grow Light, Growstar 150W Full Spectrum Plant Light with Cree COB and Switch for Indoor Plants Seeding, Growing and Flowering. (150w)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07312WKX2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2DFI8RPP7OFTH&psc=1

 

[Dj City]

Pretty dang close to the Kessil h380 at about 1/7th of the price.

 

[Dj City]

This is the Kessil H380

The one above is the Amazon Growstar

 

[Dj City]

This is the Fluval.

No idea of the par on the Fluval or the Growstar. I know I got great results using both of them over the skimmer section.

 

[Lasse]

I only run blues and reds over my fuge and it grows rather well. I think it does not matter which you take but probably the fluval will be a little bit small. but start with that light and when you have got it to grow - try the Amazon bulb.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Dj City]

@Lasse

I just spend th my whole work day reading your build thread from start to end.

Amazing!

 

[Lasse]

@Lasse

I just spend th my whole work day reading your build thread from start to end.

Amazing!

Thank you

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Want2BS8ed]

I would still advise caution using the outflow from your carbon reactor. Carbon is going to strip a lot of the nutrients from the water needed to feed your refugium (think iron). Also by feeding your refugium with a pump you are likely to overwhelm the original inlet in the E300 sump. The flow through that inlet is likely to reverse as the water height in the refugium exceeds the inflow section. That's not a bad thing, but if you are feeding the refugium only with water that has passed through carbon, there is potential to starve the algae.

I was flipping through @PaulB 's book last night and he advocates not even using carbon at all.

As for lighting, Bulk Reef Supply did a great series of videos on refugium lighting. It's worth seeking out. Triton recommends full spectrum fluorescents. In my particular case, my sump is a 125g aquarium. The first 6" is the return from the DT and external skimmer. The next 42" is the refugium and the last 24" houses the DT return pump, feed pump for the external skimmer and a pair of UltraReef reactors for carbon and GFO.

The first 18" of the refugium are lit with a Kessil H380. There is a center brace and the remaining 24" is lit by a 6 bulb T5 fixture. Both are approximately 8" off the surface. It's purely anecdotal, and there is obviously some overlap but for the center brace, however what grows under the LED just seems to be better IMO.

That seems to be proven out in BRS's videos as well. Lot's of hype and promises in lighting for aquariums, but Kessil has been around for a very long time and has a strong reputation. They were doing there own proprietary photo and grow lights well before aquarium lights and aren't just slapping components together from other sources.

They are expensive, but this is one of those cases where you really do get what you pay for. Of the lights you listed, I can unequivocally recommend the H380.

M

 

[Dj City]

They are expensive, but this is one of those cases where you really do get what you pay for. Of the lights you listed, I can unequivocally recommend the H380.



I was not planning on buying new lights.
I own the Fluval and the Growstar. I was thinking that the Growstar might be too much for my fuge.
I was wondering if the fluval would be enough.

The graphs I posted show the similarity between the Growstar and the Kessil.

 

[Ocean Lotion]

I just put a growstar ufo on my fuge tonight and yea it is bright but I don't think too bright. I am looking forward to seeing my results.

 

[Want2BS8ed]

Bright does not necessarily equal optimum spectrum, nor does a color graph that looks close... then again pretty much any light will grow something - the question is what and how efficient and how much you want to spend.

Watching the BRS video they would lead you to believe overlighting the refugium is better than underlighting it to avoid undesirable algae in your DT.

Try what you have and change if you think necessary a couple months down the road.

M

 

[Dj City]

Bright does not necessarily equal optimum spectrum, nor does a color graph that looks close... then again pretty much any light will grow something - the question is what and how efficient and how much you want to spend.

Watching the BRS video they would lead you to believe overlighting the refugium is better than underlighting it to avoid undesirable algae in your DT.

Try what you have and change if you think necessary a couple months down the road.

M

I've seen the BRS video (Very informative). I just don't want to burn my algae up. I have installed it over the fuge and I will monitor the algae for growth and bleaching and adjust accordingly if need be.

 

[Lasse]

It should not surprise me if the Growstar will give a higher photosynthesis rate than the Kessil - the spectral output indicate that. But it would be - as you say - important to monitor the algae. It could be too much of the good things.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Dj City]

My whole project got derailed by a sick fish. (That and the lack of Triton Core7) I have an Ocean Tang that seems to have come down with flukes and an infection.
I will update when the crisis is over.

 

[Dj City]

Jan 21st

Feb 24th

The Growstar has been doing it's job VERY well.
I have a maxijet 1200 in the intake section feeding the fuge with raw tank water.

I will be removing the sock to add algae to that section.
What light should I use on the sock section?