$130 to make a refugium?

cartman101

cartman101

Active Member
Ok well i received $130 dollars from christmas, is it possible to make a refugium with that much money or do i need waaaay more? I have then tank, my tank isn't driiled though. I may go with a bigger tank not sure though....but probably. So what do i need and how much will everything cost me? Its time to start to make my refugium!!!! I'm excited yet very confused on how to set one up. :jumping: :notsure:
 
cartman101

cartman101

Active Member
ay, just screw it. Overflow will cost me 1/2 of the money....... Maybe i will just spend the money on some really good filter... $70 for a CPR overflow!
 
reefdweler

reefdweler

Member
Originally Posted by SteelGluer
Mkae your own over flow cost me $15.00.
How did you make ur own overflow and do you have any pics of it?
 
cartman101

cartman101

Active Member
ok, i feel like i really need another filtration system but nothing over $160. Is there any sort of sump or refugium that will cost about $160 maybe a little over?
 
popnfrresh

popnfrresh

Member
I put a refuge higher than my tank that way you can gravity return the water back to the tank. Downside : Main tank acts as sump.
 
thangbom

thangbom

Active Member
the refuguim itself can cost less then $100.. the most exspensive thing is the tank.. i bought a new aga 55gal long for $85.. then a tube of 100% silicone ( GE ) from hd for about $3 then i cut up some acrylic baffles i had laying around and silicone them in.. and that was that.. you can buy acrylic from HD also if u dont have any.. they arint too expensive .. but that all depends on how much u need.. and it inly need to be 1/4'' think.. ( fuges dont have too much of pressure on the baffles) then all u need is a overflow.. look up on the other big reef forum and search up 'overflow' or was ot 'alterative overflow' anyhow.. it was a long post on how to make one out of pvc for like $20 or so.. gl
 
mpls man

mpls man

Active Member
mine was very easy to make, i used a 40 gal that i bought for $40.00 bought some 1/4" plexyglass from home depot and made some baffles, cost about $50.00 total.
 
murph

murph

Active Member
$130 is cutting it close unless you do some DIY
20 gallon long around 35
Your lfs should be able to find you a 600gph overflow for around 40. CPRs are overpriced IMO and have heard lots of complaints about them.
Walmart shop light and fixture, daylight bulb around 20
Return pump around 35 bucks.
Then there is the miscellaneous items. Sand rock macros PVC to hard plumb the return etc.
I would say 135 would get you most of the way there and you could use it to expand water volume right away if you fall short on some of the other miscellaneous items which can be added later.
 
cartman101

cartman101

Active Member
what do i need the PVC for? can anyone show me a pic? So the pvc will attach to the return pump which will carry the water into my tank right?
 
caomt

caomt

Member
cost me 10 bucks to make this overflow.. my advice if you do try to do it yourself.. find something thats holds real tight.. i used a glue gun and some caulk.. kinda leaked.. so i gotta redo it with some good bonding stuff.. my first time working with plexi glass so it gots some cracks kekee oh and i broke off the top of the overflow so more water could get in.. those holes werent enough

http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/1.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/2.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/4.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/DSC03704.JPG
 
steelgluer

steelgluer

Member
Originally Posted by caomt
cost me 10 bucks to make this overflow.. my advice if you do try to do it yourself.. find something thats holds real tight.. i used a glue gun and some caulk.. kinda leaked.. so i gotta redo it with some good bonding stuff.. my first time working with plexi glass so it gots some cracks kekee oh and i broke off the top of the overflow so more water could get in.. those holes werent enough

http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/1.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/2.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/pictures/4.JPG
http://www.tmcao.com/DSC03704.JPG
Do a search on google for IPS weld on #3 or #4. This is what is used to glue acrylic.
 
caomt

caomt

Member
i asked the home depot guy .. he said liquid nails.. but i didnt do that.. since this thing wasnt that expensive ... im gonna try to torch it.. do they hae that ips weld-on at home depot? i might get a new lighting soon too gonna be real hot!
 
reefdweler

reefdweler

Member
SteelGluer I emailed youfor that info on the diy overflow you never returned my email or was that just for cartman101?
 
cartman101

cartman101

Active Member
how does the water from the sump get into the overflow box? And how does the water from the main tank get into the overflow?
 
J

jcrim

Guest
Originally Posted by Cartman101
how does the water from the sump get into the overflow box? And how does the water from the main tank get into the overflow?
The water from the main tank is syphoned by a rigid tube (looks like an upside down U). Then the tube takes the water from the overflow to the filter underneath the tank. The return pump pushes the water back into the display tank.
 
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