Above Tank Fuge

[andywg]

Ok, I've found out the new tank isn't quite as big as I'd thought. Instead of a 21" cube, it is 21x21x18.5. But no biggy. Only lose about 5 gallons. Still keeps 30 gallons UK.

As well as the obligatory sump (I think I'd put a sump on any tank I set up now) I want to have a fuge in the region of 5 - 10 gallons. After thinking through (a number of impractical) ideas of keeping it in the hood, I have had the idea of mounting it on the hood. The front 2/3 of the hood will open, and the fuge will cover the last 1/3.

Dimensions will be in the region of 21"x7.5"widex9"tall. This will have a great size to have some pods growing for the tank (I may throw a shrimp or hermit in there). And by having it above all the pods can drift down into the display.

It will have its own hood in the same style as the main tank hood, essentially being a mini tank on top of a bigger tank. I'll throw in some sand, some LR and I was just going to throw a standard energy saving light bulb over it. Any good?

My main question is how to get the water back down, should I drill the bottom and weir off a corner, or could I mini-weir the side, same as I plan to do in the main tank to the sump, and use a modified durso to get the water back into the main tank?

Andy

 

[Tiggs]

Ok, I've found out the new tank isn't quite as big as I'd thought. Instead of a 21" cube, it is 21x21x18.5. But no biggy. Only lose about 5 gallons. Still keeps 30 gallons UK.

As well as the obligatory sump (I think I'd put a sump on any tank I set up now) I want to have a fuge in the region of 5 - 10 gallons. After thinking through (a number of impractical) ideas of keeping it in the hood, I have had the idea of mounting it on the hood. The front 2/3 of the hood will open, and the fuge will cover the last 1/3.

Dimensions will be in the region of 21"x7.5"widex9"tall. This will have a great size to have some pods growing for the tank (I may throw a shrimp or hermit in there). And by having it above all the pods can drift down into the display.

It will have its own hood in the same style as the main tank hood, essentially being a mini tank on top of a bigger tank. I'll throw in some sand, some LR and I was just going to throw a standard energy saving light bulb over it. Any good?

My main question is how to get the water back down, should I drill the bottom and weir off a corner, or could I mini-weir the side, same as I plan to do in the main tank to the sump, and use a modified durso to get the water back into the main tank?

Andy

i have an overtank fuge.

water is pumped in by taking a T of the pipework that flows through my chiller an UV (T is before both those)...water flows in at 10X the fuge volume per hour.

fuge is drilled at one end and water simply flows out and down a short pipe into the main tank. The fuge has a float switch that shuts of the pump and its light if the overflow blocks and the fuge overfills. The fuge light is a T5 55W that is lit on a reverse photo period to the main tank.

contains LR, sand, LR rubble, few red legs, snails, loads of bristle worms and zillions of pods...ohhh, andd some cheato algaee - i made a feature of it with a nice frame to match the main tank - looks good and works as i wanted it to.

T

ps- size is 30 X 5 X10 feeding a 110g tank...so yours sounds a good size- not sure about a shrimp in there- would they not filter feed some of the pod food? i put crabs in to clean up waste food that finds its way in there nothing more.