GFO in HOB Refugium Outlet?

Hey Everyone,

I just got a large CPR Aquafuge with a large clump of chaeto and a 4" deep sand bed. It has definitely helped with my nuisance algae, but I want to get even more phosphates out of my tank.

I have the newest version of the aquafuge with an overflow box and "waterfall" outlet that goes back to the tank. Would I be able to add a mesh bag with GFO to that spot or would that not be enough flow to have it do much?

 

I put some Phosban in a mesh bag in my 14g biocube and I noticed a big difference in algae growth!

 

NO! It will slow the flow down so much that the fuge will over flow. I tried it Oops!!! Best to put a bag of whatever into the area where the intake tube is.

 

Wouldn't that scrub the water before it got to my chaeto? I would think that I would go through a ton of GFO that way and it might pull all the phosphates out before it gets to the chaeto, therefore defeating the purpose of having a fuge.

The way imagined it working was:

1. Water comes in fuge
2. Flows over DSB and through chaeto, which removes most of the "bad stuff"
3. Then it flows out through the GFO, which removes any remaining phosphates
4. The water flows back into the tank

Is my logic flawed or does it not matter what order they are in?

 

I've been running my aquafuge 2 medium like I stated for a year....cheato grows crazy like. I'm using Chemipure Elite so it's not straight up GFO. You can go ahead and try it your way but keep a close eye on your return flow...if it slows down to much your fuge will fill up, thus emptying out your tank and over flow I'm not sure either if the newer model return is different then the older models. Aside from the waterfall outlet.

Nope just checked. No difference other then the new outlet tray. I do know though in order for GFO to work properly it needs a good flow and to tumble.

 

Hmmm... thats a good point about the tumbling. I certainly wouldn't get that affect with it in the overflow box at the end. Do you have your Chemipure in a bag or is it just free flowing in that first chamber?