Awesome idea dude. You just gave me some ideas to DIY a version of this for my setup. I'll plan to use some live rock and sand at the bottom of the bucket weight it down and create a 'fuge-in-a-bucket' habitat for pods. And when it's time to clean it all out, just remove the bucket for an easy reset. Should go a long way in keeping the sump cleaner. On that note, I plan to use a larger micron filter bag on the outlet pipe to catch all the large chaeto debris without clogging up as fast as a filter sock would...not to mention a filter bag takes far less effort to rinse out. And now it's time for me to go!... ROBIN!!! To the Bat Garage!
That’s an awesome idea. I may put a filter sock on the end if I get any cheato coming out of the bucket. This bucket idea is super easy and keeps your sump clean! Let me know how your build goes!
The only thing that would concern me is that garbage can might not be food safe plastic. Cool build though ! I have a small Red Sea sump, I was considering doing a 5 gal bucket fuge that sits outside/next to the sump. it would also add a few gal water volume.
I’ve wanted to try the 5 gallon bucket idea. I stopped using my cheato reactor since I think the light got wet and leached some heavy metals based on my ICP testing results.
My first Brightwell brick fell apart. It was one of the first batches. I reached out to Brightwell and they replaced it with a new one about 6 months later. I’m pretty sure you have an older one. If a newer block is falling apart then that’s a problem. I suspect there is a life expectancy on them. Mine lasted about 6 years before I decided it was a nutrient trap and tossed it.
Cool idea , but why not just use the refugium in the sump for the algae? Is there a specific reason or is the dump fuge being used for something else? I’m getting ready to setup a Triton 34 trigger systems so I’ve been checking some ideas out lately
I just didn’t like how dirty that entire area was. With it contained in a bucket it’s easier to keep the flow going and my cheato doesn’t get stuck in a powerhead. When I had it in the sump area my powerheads were all clogged up and the cheato would constantly get caught in the bubble trap before the return.
Hey, I will set up a 150 gallon mixed reef tank. The refugium area will be around 180 square inches in size but I won’t be using the whole thing for chaeto. Is there any way I keep the chaeto separate and also stop the light from spilling everywhere? I thought of using a bucket but I’m a fraud that the ones available won’t be big enough or might leach stuff into the water. Should I just put black pieces of acrylic on the walls to minimise light spillage? Also does tumbling chaeto help? If so what are the best ways to do it? How can I do it efficiently while also being cost effective? I will mainly have chaeto for the pods and all to stay in and not too much for nutrient removal, but if it does remove extra nitrates and phosphates I won’t complain :) Please let me know, thank you!
That’s a lot to take in. If you see coral euphoria he has a bucket reactor he made and put the light on top. There was no light spill as he used the lid as a platform and cut a hole in the top. I did a similar method to him but since I didn’t have a lid I put it on the acrylic panel. Tumbling just gives it more contact time and allows more water to pass through making it more efficient. There are hundreds of ways to go about this project. You just gotta find the one that’s best for you. It seems like you already have a bunch in mind. I love having mine in a confined area that traps the light and doesn’t shoot light around the sump. I had a problem with coralline algae growing where the refugium light spilled in the sump.
You’ll see in the next video. My nitrates drop and I end up dosing more nitrates. I’m gonna need more of a targeted approach. Next video is Brightwell Phosphate E
Awesome idea dude. You just gave me some ideas to DIY a version of this for my setup. I'll plan to use some live rock and sand at the bottom of the bucket weight it down and create a 'fuge-in-a-bucket' habitat for pods. And when it's time to clean it all out, just remove the bucket for an easy reset. Should go a long way in keeping the sump cleaner. On that note, I plan to use a larger micron filter bag on the outlet pipe to catch all the large chaeto debris without clogging up as fast as a filter sock would...not to mention a filter bag takes far less effort to rinse out.
And now it's time for me to go!... ROBIN!!! To the Bat Garage!
That’s an awesome idea. I may put a filter sock on the end if I get any cheato coming out of the bucket. This bucket idea is super easy and keeps your sump clean! Let me know how your build goes!
Great diy video. We definitely need more of these!
If I got anymore clever ideas I’ll do a video on it!
This is exactly what I was looking for!
It works! Good luck with your build !
Nice easy DIY.
Thank you! 😊
Sweet. 👍 I see you put your thinking hat on
Budget reefing at its finest!
The only thing that would concern me is that garbage can might not be food safe plastic. Cool build though ! I have a small Red Sea sump, I was considering doing a 5 gal bucket fuge that sits outside/next to the sump. it would also add a few gal water volume.
I’ve wanted to try the 5 gallon bucket idea. I stopped using my cheato reactor since I think the light got wet and leached some heavy metals based on my ICP testing results.
I'm curious about your media. Does your block media fall apart? Mine are turning like sand, they fall apart easily.
My first Brightwell brick fell apart. It was one of the first batches. I reached out to Brightwell and they replaced it with a new one about 6 months later. I’m pretty sure you have an older one. If a newer block is falling apart then that’s a problem. I suspect there is a life expectancy on them. Mine lasted about 6 years before I decided it was a nutrient trap and tossed it.
@shallowreefing makes sense. I have never replaced mine since I bought it 5 years ago.
Great idea!
a better media to use is frag plugs. your constantly replacing them with new ones so you dont get that build up of nutrients in them
I have some in another bag too 😆
Cool idea , but why not just use the refugium in the sump for the algae? Is there a specific reason or is the dump fuge being used for something else?
I’m getting ready to setup a Triton 34 trigger systems so I’ve been checking some ideas out lately
I just didn’t like how dirty that entire area was. With it contained in a bucket it’s easier to keep the flow going and my cheato doesn’t get stuck in a powerhead. When I had it in the sump area my powerheads were all clogged up and the cheato would constantly get caught in the bubble trap before the return.
Hey, I will set up a 150 gallon mixed reef tank. The refugium area will be around 180 square inches in size but I won’t be using the whole thing for chaeto. Is there any way I keep the chaeto separate and also stop the light from spilling everywhere? I thought of using a bucket but I’m a fraud that the ones available won’t be big enough or might leach stuff into the water. Should I just put black pieces of acrylic on the walls to minimise light spillage? Also does tumbling chaeto help? If so what are the best ways to do it? How can I do it efficiently while also being cost effective? I will mainly have chaeto for the pods and all to stay in and not too much for nutrient removal, but if it does remove extra nitrates and phosphates I won’t complain :) Please let me know, thank you!
That’s a lot to take in. If you see coral euphoria he has a bucket reactor he made and put the light on top. There was no light spill as he used the lid as a platform and cut a hole in the top. I did a similar method to him but since I didn’t have a lid I put it on the acrylic panel. Tumbling just gives it more contact time and allows more water to pass through making it more efficient. There are hundreds of ways to go about this project. You just gotta find the one that’s best for you. It seems like you already have a bunch in mind. I love having mine in a confined area that traps the light and doesn’t shoot light around the sump. I had a problem with coralline algae growing where the refugium light spilled in the sump.
@@shallowreefing Ah I see. Thank you so much for the reply! It really helped out!
You should make a spray bar so the chaeto can tumble
If phosphates are high, why not run the light 24/7 for now?
You’ll see in the next video. My nitrates drop and I end up dosing more nitrates. I’m gonna need more of a targeted approach. Next video is Brightwell Phosphate E
I have never had good results with Chaeto, it would grow for a little bit then die off. I tried ulva and others but the best is dragon's breath.
Dragons breath is really cool. I need to get my hands on some.