I think i need to put more flow through my sump. Is there any negative to lowering the flow rate to/from the display in favor of more flow through the sump?
Why you need more flow through the sump? You want flow in the DT for the oxygen exchange, especially at the surface. You can add a powerhead in the sump if you want more flow. The purpose of having a sump is for more water volume and to be able to hide stuff like heater and not use over flow box.
Sorry I meant through the fuge. The flow through my sump
Should slow down actually.
Well, that’s different now. Not sure what is the purpose of your refugium, to refuge the small animals or to grow your chetos since you don’t have any sand in there.
A refugium is suppose to be slow water flow through for the amphipods, copepods and who knows what else grows in there to breed and grow and then to be able to overflow into the pump compartment and pushed out into the DT.
In my previous refugium I have 3-4" of sand along with some rubble rocks and chetos. Some other people may have differences in opinion but this is what works for me.
Fuge is for nutrient export there is about 20 lbs of LR and chaeto in there.
Right now the chaeto is fluttering from the water flow. I think it should be more turbulent in there from what I’ve read. Plus wouldn’t having more flow in there allow a greater amount of water to be exposed to the fuge?
I’m not sure for the purpose of the turbulent for the chaeto. My thoughts are as long as it’s moving and all sides are expose to the light it should be doing its job for the purpose that you are trying to achieve.
I have always read, and believed, that 100% full flow through the fuge is the best. you want full exchange from tank to waste consumption by Macro in the fuge. flow is what promotes growth, and gas, and nutrient exchange and consumption, in the fuge.
Full flow through the fuge is, def…Def… Definitely better!
IMHO!
Well I can’t do full flow but I can do more flow.
My return pump feeds the fuge too.
I will open the valve more to the fuge and close off the drain a bit
FINALLY got around to putting the doors on the stand. Stained them separately from the tank so they ended up being a bit darker but oh well. Still have to strip/stain the hood and then I should be finished cosmetically.
Still have to hook up the Reef Angel, I can’t figure out where to mount the actual controller. It’s kind of a stupid design to have all of the sensor connections coming out of the main display.
Anyone have any tips on growing chaeto? I cannot for the life of me get it to grow… algae grows on the glass in the fuge but not the chaeto.
The fuge is about 20 gallons and has a 6500K shop light running over it 24/7. ~75% of my quietone4000 is going through the fuge. I have good pod growth but would rather the chaeto grow than the algae on the sides of the tank.
The DT is 90 gallon FOWLR with a pretty light bioload. I feed twice a day sinking pellets and some flake.
May need to change the bulbs depending on how old they are. I recently replaced mine and the chaeto is growing fast again. I was having the same problem.
Also - give it some darkness. Plants need the night time to process what they’ve collected during the day. I run mine on an opposite timer as the display.
Cut your light schedule down to 18 on/6 off that will help a lot. More light will always help as well, but algae doesn’t like it 24/7. Your fuge needs to be able to grow algae better than your tank. To do this you can adjust light intensity, light spectrum, access to nutrients (flow), and algae byproduct removal (flow and gas exchange). This is why algae scrubbers kill refugiums… more light, flow, and gas exchange.
Thanks for the replies, I will cut my light schedule down to 18/6 as suggested.
Sneeyatch the bulb was replaced 2 months ago.
I usually feed the tank by putting food in the return pump so a lot of it goes into the fuge first. Is that bad?
you didnt say the wattage or lumens on the shop light. is it just a screw in power compact with the aluminum bowl reflector? and dimension of the fuge? 6500K should be fine. or 10K like Bryant said, it takes intensity counts. its energy. and circulation in the fuge is very important too. a ball of cheato needs water flowing through it, not just sitting in still water. it absorbs and uses nutrients within the ball area, and when its gone, it stops. so a constant flow of dirty water over and through the chaeto is necessary to supply the chaeto with nitrates and phosphates.
I’ve personally never had luck with chaeto. If your tank already has strong nutrient export (other faster growing algae, skimmer, etc.) the chaeto won’t grow.
[quote=“icecool2, post:135, topic:6556”]
I’ve personally never had luck with chaeto. If your tank already has strong nutrient export (other faster growing algae, skimmer, etc.) the chaeto won’t grow.[/quote]
So true. Scott was telling me a while back that his fuge only grows gha hahaha. The algea with the best nutrient absorption will eventually win.
I’ve always been real good at growing GHA too. 
Heck id take gha!
What are you fighting?
All kinds of cyano and some film.