Does Fuge size matter?

I was talking with my LFS guy and told him about my plan for my 120 gal upgrade.

So we were talking about my sump/fuge setup and he told me that, of coarse bigger is better but, that my fuge was to small for a 120 gal. I plan on using a 25 gal acrylic tub for a sump with all the hardware (pumps, heater, skimmer, etc) and a 20 gal tank for a fuge and connect them in some way (still need to figure that one out). He goes and tell me that 20 gal isnt enough, that i would need like a 50 gal fuge Shocked

If i bring in a 50 gal tank in my apartment my girlfriend will go nuts crazy. I already had the 25 gal acrylic tub and this weekend we switched my girlfriends FW tank to SW and it was so scratched that i just went out and bought a new one. So i have a scratched 20 gal, perfect for a sump or fuge.

Ok so is 20 gal to small of a fuge for a 120 gal tank? I could use the 25 gal tub as a fuge and the 20 gal as the sump instead. But do i really need 50 gal for a fuge. He said the minimum i should go for a fuge is 33 gal.

your thoughts please

Thanks

Marc.

 

Refugiums should be a min of 20% of the display tank size. That's a really rough estimate

So the 25 gall tub would be perfect

John

 

Thanks John, will do the fuge in the 25 gal.

Marc.

 

Sorry, posted under my girlfreind's user, she must of put the auto login so i didnt notice i was using her user.

Thanks anyway John.

Marc.

 

No worries Marc

Depending on how you plumb the whole thing you may be able to extend the fuge into the 20 gall tank a little.

John

 

Good idea... Im still in the whole thinking it up process so if you have any ideas let me know im open to suggestions.

Thanks

Marc.

 

marc, you should build a stand 8" or so higher than your sump will sit. Place your refugium tank there. Use a slow gph pump to move water from sump to your refugium. Let gravity pull water from refugium back to sump like with an overflow box.