Adding fuge to rs75

[Cbones1979]

On a budget and looking for a way to keep nutrients low without weekly water changes.
I have an eshopps rs-75 and really don’t want to change as I have limit space under this tank.
Was hoping to add a fuge in the sump with my only open spot being the filter sock space.

there isn’t a closed section here however so I’d either need a fuge box to fit or I could add plexi glass to cover it witha baffle or holes drilled in the side

Any suggestions?

 

[Brandon3152134]

Algea scrubber

 

[Cbones1979]

Algea scrubber

Not sure I could find one to fit the sump or in the cabinet
Anyone familiar with this?

 

[Brandon3152134]

CW-100 External Algae Scrubber

Solve your nutrient & algae issues with an Algae Turf Scrubber from Clear Water Scrubbers. Algae scrubbers can save you money and time with the minimal maintenance and energy usage. Dimensions - 13 3/4" L x 9" W x 9 1/4" H Easy to harvest Safe design Simple to plumb Quality acrylic...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

An external one like this would only need a pump inside the water.

They dont have to be this expensive you can find cheaper ones or even possibly make one yourself.

 

[Cbones1979]

CW-100 External Algae Scrubber

Solve your nutrient & algae issues with an Algae Turf Scrubber from Clear Water Scrubbers. Algae scrubbers can save you money and time with the minimal maintenance and energy usage. Dimensions - 13 3/4" L x 9" W x 9 1/4" H Easy to harvest Safe design Simple to plumb Quality acrylic...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

An external one like this would only need a pump inside the water.

They dont have to be this expensive you can find cheaper ones or even possibly make one yourself.

think this would work? I only have 45 gallon tank

 

[Brandon3152134]

think this would work? I only have 45 gallon tank

It's not about the size it's about how quickly and effectively can it grow algea because you are going to remove it when it over grows.

 

[Cbones1979]

It's not about the size it's about how quickly and effectively can it grow algea because you are going to remove it when it over grows.

I just don’t have much room under my tank so looking for something that fits

 

[Brandon3152134]

Might have to get myself one of these now

 

[Cbones1979]

Might have to get myself one of these now

Let me know if you find a deal or if it works well!
my tank is 3 months old so I’m going to try my best w rescuing feeding and water changes to stay within .05-.1 range

if I can’t then I’ll move to extreme measures

 

[R.Weller]

There’s plenty of space in your return chamber for a DIY waterfall scrubber. They are crazy cheap & remarkably effective.

 

[Cbones1979]

There’s plenty of space in your return chamber for a DIY waterfall scrubber. They are crazy cheap & remarkably effective.

Whatcha got? Just a small algae scrubber?

 

[R.Weller]

It's a different style of scrubber but it does the same thing. With the space you have, use 1/2" pvc, plastic mesh from your local craft store, a dremel, a few zip ties, & pvc cement to build in the available space. A cheap, 9 watt LED plant grow blub pointed directly at the screen will have you exporting nutrients in about 1 week depending on nutrient levels. You can add a small pump in the return chamber or tee off your return line. If you can pull the sock out, it would be better positioned in the space before your skimmer. Then you also have the benefit of no more sock maintenance provided your nutrient levels are kept in check.

Here's the concept from how we started using the space in the return chamber & relocating to our refugium later.

DIY Waterfall ATS - 1 yr later

There are several great DIY algae turf scrubbers here on the forum, so I figured I would share what has worked for our system. An important note at the start...we have a large system that is lightly stocked, but I do expect this to scale as the system matures. Our sump is located behind the...

www.reef2reef.com

It was entirely to big in the beginning, & we have cut it smaller as the need & our understanding evolved. If you try it out, be sure to cover the top as it will spray when algae starts to grow & it pulls down on the screen. Submerge the bottom of the plastic mesh below the water line to silence the device. If it's uncovered, this will increase your evaporation rate so it's something to keep in mind.

In terms of budget friendly & effectiveness for nutrient export, this is hard to beat. You can see the cost breakdown in the thread I've shared. We don't do water changes (no sense in throwing away salt) & we don't use filter socks. The maintenance is scraping the screen as needed.

The argument against turf scrubbers is that they are too effective in keeping the water clean. I have a hard time following that.