CPR Aquafuge

[Leddy]

anybody have any experience with these hang on refugiums? or know someone who does? tell me what you think. something fell through when i tried ordering it, and i realized that maybe it'll be a good plan to find out if anyone on the site has opinions on them. i have an 80gal., so i was thinking of getting the medium model (18inches or so), but if anyone has any info on them, positive or negative, let me hear it. a sump/refugium is out of the question, absolutley no room under or beside my tank. again, any comments and/or suggestions would be cool.


leddy

[Reefland]

Any place that you can grow macro algae, place additional live rock and add additional volume is good. I have never used the CPR's but I have not heard anything bad about them. I'd say go for it if this is the option you have. Make sure that it will fit behind your tank before ordering.

Scott Z.

[Leddy]

i definitly have space behind the tank, just not in the stand or to the left and right. i was thinking of placing it square in the middle, with the intake and return on opposite sides of the center brace. thanks for the reply Scott, my tank is still gonna be fish-less for at least another month, so i'll keep researching this thing. it seems like it would be good for my set up, space-wise atleast. thanks again.



leddy

[daltex]

If you have an 80 gallon why not go with the 24" large one? EcoSystem also makes a 30" HOT unit http://www.ecosystemaquarium.com/html/hangonback.html that comes with everything.



My only concern for an 80g is CPR has no recommended size for any of their units and the 30' Ecosystem that is bigger is recommended for 40-60 gallons.

Volume is always better if you can fit it, Why not go with a under tank lager refugium ?

[Leddy]

my stand is a store bought one, and it doesent have any room(literaly) underneath for even the smallest sump/refugium. the left and right side aswell is a no go. as for the 24 inch model, ive thought about it but i'm gonna be running 2 bak-pak skimmers, so space is an issue. also, if i ever want to run carbon, i can use my HOT Magnum, which i'll be able to fit with the 2 skimmers and refugium. could i run carbon in the skimmers? or the refugium? i've heard its possible in the skimmers, but you gotta watch out for it overflowing. i'm in no rush to get this thing, once i get the other skimmer on and running, i'll get a better idea of what size refugium i could use. thanks for the reply, i'll let you know what i decide when the time comes. thanks again



leddy

[daltex]

IMO for what its worth, If you can fit it, I would run the 30" Eco just b/c bigger is better ;) If you really need it, the Eco has chambers for bio balls, which you dont need, you could put carbon bags in place of the bios or the skimmers.

I am in about the same place you are so i have been looking alot into the HOT options. I like the size of the Eco, but the cost is high so i am going to make my own.

[Leddy]

yeah, i've looked at the ecosystems, but the price is brutal. its either gonna be the 18 or 24 inch model. for a while i thought about getting the 12 inch model, but then i fugured that would be pointless if i have the room for a larger one. when i get this other skimmer on in place of my penguin 330, i'll decide which one to get. but i totally agree with you, more water volume the better. i've measured the space needed, and i could easily fit the 18"(actually 19.25"), but when i get the second bakpak on there, if the 24"(25.25") can fit without problems, then i'll go that route. it'll be easier to get an idea for space requirements when the 330 is swapped out for the skimmer. thanks again.


leddy

[orion25]

I have the 18" Aquafuge sitting on the bed in my spare bedroom right now. As soon as I build my new hood (got the wood today, just need to get a saw) it will be in action. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should house in this thing? I am thinking a layer of sand from my tank along with a small piece of LR. should I add some LS from another source? If so, where?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
TRB

[orion25]

Well, I installed the Aquafuge last weekend. It has a 2" sandbed in it (from the main tank) and 3 small pieces of Live Rock. It also has a couple of snails in it and about 3 mushroom polyps.

I really need to know what I need in it to help my main tank.

Any suggestions??????

[Leddy]

thats excellent to hear orion. from what i understand, the sand and the LR are good in there. it gives a "refuge" for your little critters to reproduce. also, some macro will help with your nitrate and phosphate/nutrient export, in a controlled area, so it doesnt take over the main tank. let me know how it works out(even if u could get a pic), cause i plan on putting one of those in my tank sometime soon. i'm sure others will let you know who might be more familiar with one. i'm not too familiar with refugiums myself, so if i'm wrong or missing something, someone let me know. thanks and good luck.


Leddy

[orion25]

thats excellent to hear orion. from what i understand, the sand and the LR are good in there. it gives a "refuge" for your little critters to reproduce. also, some macro will help with your nitrate and phosphate/nutrient export, in a controlled area, so it doesnt take over the main tank. let me know how it works out(even if u could get a pic), cause i plan on putting one of those in my tank sometime soon. i'm sure others will let you know who might be more familiar with one. i'm not too familiar with refugiums myself, so if i'm wrong or missing something, someone let me know. thanks and good luck.


Leddy

Here are a few Pics of my Aquafuge. I hope Scott can resize them so that scrolling is not required!!

Side View:


Top View:


Front View:

[Leddy]

thanks for the pics, it looks good. one question, do you have a light on it? i may need to get a light to keep some macro growing. i know its still pretty young, but it looks real nice. thanks again for the pics.


Leddy

[orion25]

thanks for the pics, it looks good. one question, do you have a light on it? i may need to get a light to keep some macro growing. i know its still pretty young, but it looks real nice. thanks again for the pics.


Leddy

I do not have a light on it as of yet. I may be ordering one soon though. My hood provides all the light it needs for now, or so I hope........

[Leddy]

I broke down and just bought a factory-second 18" fuge from AmekaAquatics. Probably get in a week or two.


Leddy

[Calfire]

hi i have the small version of the aquafuge and got a perfect fitting light from www.innovativelights.com they have some ligths that fit all the sizes of aquafuges. just thought if you guys were intrested.

Jason

[Leddy]

I got the "factory second" Aquafuge today from Ameka Aquatics. It has a minor cosmetic defect on the upper left outside bracket. Just a tiny little crack, and you can feel where they applied something to protect it. Other than that, its Sweet! I have got a tight budget right now, so it won't be on and running for a few weeks. I'm just psyched and anxious to see what it'll look like and what impact it'll have on the tank.


Leddy

[Valclore]

Why not go with a small refuge above the tank? Just a shelf and a 10gal aquarium? Shouldn't be to hard to hang the shelf. And it will add another tank to your setup....

[orion25]

Why not go with a small refuge above the tank? Just a shelf and a 10gal aquarium? Shouldn't be to hard to hang the shelf. And it will add another tank to your setup....

It has to do more with asthetics than anything else in my case. I have no desire to have an algae filled Ref. in plain view above my aquarium. It sits in my living room at the moment. Since I have a 55g I am also limited in what I can put under it. My 10g sump and Nurace consume all the space under my tank. When I move and upgrade to a 90g+ I will have a real Ref. but until then the Aquafuge is a good place for 3" of sand and a few pieces of LR rubble. I even had a bristle worm and a couple of snails hitchhike in there. When I add a light I will add some Macro.

[orion25]

I got the "factory second" Aquafuge today from Ameka Aquatics. It has a minor cosmetic defect on the upper left outside bracket. Just a tiny little crack, and you can feel where they applied something to protect it. Other than that, its Sweet! I have got a tight budget right now, so it won't be on and running for a few weeks. I'm just psyched and anxious to see what it'll look like and what impact it'll have on the tank.


Leddy

Leddy,

I wish I had known about Ameka Aquatics when I bought mine!! Could have saved some cash!

Why not go ahead and install it?? You could add some sand from your Aquarium and a small piece of LR. Then when you have the cash get some Macro Algae and maybe a detrivore kit. You could also add a light. The Sand and LR would not really need a light to start out. This is what I did / am doing. I just bid on a light on Ebay!! Hope I win!.

[Leddy]

yeah, I was thinking that myself today. I'm gonna take some sand and some rock from my tank and set it up tomorrow or tuesday. As for setting up a shelf for a bigger fuge, not gonna happen. I still live with my 'rents, so I dont think they'd be too pleased with that. They like the tank how it is, and probably get mad if they saw another tank above the main one, they'd say "that could've been more rent money". I would love to have bigger set ups, and sometime in the future I will, its just at the moment, it's not happening ya know. Thanks for the replies.


Leddy