Building a refugium
- Thread starter sangysc
- Start date
andymi
Member
Browse the web or search the boards. There is a ton of information about building refugiums out there. Particularly at *********.com (not sure if the link will show) but visit about.com for more information and search for salt aquariums.
--Andy That link is not allowed on this BB
[ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: MR . SALTY ]
--Andy That link is not allowed on this BB
[ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: MR . SALTY ]
mr . salty
Active Member
The return does not HAVE to be gravity fed.As a matter of fact,I only know of one person that has one setup that way.99.9% iof the pods will stay in the algae where they are most comfortable....Most refugiums are set up with a return pump sending the water back to the tank...Just be sure that the water flow is as slow as you can make it..This will increase the efectivness of the refugium...
johnnysalt
Member
I have a 30g tank (that I will finally add plexiglass dividers to tomorrow) as a sump with refugium section. Hope this pic shows up: my sump with refugium
I battled back and forth with this - first wanting the return pump in the LAST section AND trying to only have 50-100 gph flowing through the refugium section - which was first going to be in the middle.
I think having the refugium in a separate section (having it's own SLOW gph flow) will work better for me. I will add the ball valve (colored red in the pic) for the refugium section of the output so I can accurately tell how fast the water is flowing through it...then as you can see, it will spill BACK over through holes I'll drill in the divider. If you guys see anything I should add/remove/change let me know FAST!
If not, I'll post a pic of it in a few days! Thanks especially to the ppl who have helped me out with their advice!
[ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: JohnnySalt ]
I battled back and forth with this - first wanting the return pump in the LAST section AND trying to only have 50-100 gph flowing through the refugium section - which was first going to be in the middle.
I think having the refugium in a separate section (having it's own SLOW gph flow) will work better for me. I will add the ball valve (colored red in the pic) for the refugium section of the output so I can accurately tell how fast the water is flowing through it...then as you can see, it will spill BACK over through holes I'll drill in the divider. If you guys see anything I should add/remove/change let me know FAST!
If not, I'll post a pic of it in a few days! Thanks especially to the ppl who have helped me out with their advice! [ September 02, 2001: Message edited by: JohnnySalt ]
nosmada
Member
heres a link to some pics of my hang on fuge that i just built. i am planning on using the skimmer for the return.
http://www.geocities.com/nosmadasreef/DIY.html
http://www.geocities.com/nosmadasreef/DIY.html
johnnysalt
Member
Nosmada,
How is your refugium a "hang-on"?? If that is a hang-on, you must have a BIG tank! btw, what are your 3rd and 4th chambers going to have in them?
Ca2,
I'm sticking with what Mr. Salty says on this one. Also, I'm not going to control the water flow in from the overflow....yes, gravity return is easier and less of a hassle, but I want to have a sump with a refugium section down below with skimmer, all in one kind of thing. My main desire is to reduce trates with caulerpa...and I wouldn't like the way the above tank would look in my living room.
Re: death by impellers...Funny, my lfs has had my same setup for a few years and I really like seeing how much life flows through the pump and out the return!
How is your refugium a "hang-on"?? If that is a hang-on, you must have a BIG tank!
btw, what are your 3rd and 4th chambers going to have in them?Ca2,
I'm sticking with what Mr. Salty says on this one. Also, I'm not going to control the water flow in from the overflow....yes, gravity return is easier and less of a hassle, but I want to have a sump with a refugium section down below with skimmer, all in one kind of thing. My main desire is to reduce trates with caulerpa...and I wouldn't like the way the above tank would look in my living room.
Re: death by impellers...Funny, my lfs has had my same setup for a few years and I really like seeing how much life flows through the pump and out the return!
nosmada
Member
it is only 24" long. my tank is 30". maybe the pics make it look bigger.
in the 3rd chamber there is going to be LS and some LR. the 4th chamber is going to house my skimmer which i am going to use as the return to the tank. i going to pick up an adjustable flow powerhead for the intake. when its setup and running i will post a few pics ( assuming it worked )
chris
in the 3rd chamber there is going to be LS and some LR. the 4th chamber is going to house my skimmer which i am going to use as the return to the tank. i going to pick up an adjustable flow powerhead for the intake. when its setup and running i will post a few pics ( assuming it worked
)chris
johnnysalt
Member
Nosmada,
What are you using to hang it onto the tank? Did you use silicone for the dividers? Should I use something else for mine? (Glass tank/plexiglass dividers) Seems like every time I silicone a divider it leaks in a few places when I test it two days later....seems like I use an awful lot of silicone!
What are you using to hang it onto the tank? Did you use silicone for the dividers? Should I use something else for mine? (Glass tank/plexiglass dividers) Seems like every time I silicone a divider it leaks in a few places when I test it two days later....seems like I use an awful lot of silicone!
nosmada
Member
to hang it on im making som U shaped pcs. that im going to glue on. i havent bent them yet. i didnt use any silicone at all and wouldnt think it would work. all i used was weldon #16. its thick and fills in "mistakes". i didnt have a saw that cut very clean so i scraped it with some knive material i had here at work thats why the #16 works good(in my case) to fill in the gaps. then when i was done i put a bead on ALL of the seams to be safe. close up my joints arent pretty but they dont leak at all!.if you cant find weldon you can call a place i found in N.Hollywood Ca called Gavrieli Plastics. they will send it to you. its like $3-$5 a tube.i had to get it there cuz i couldnt find it ANYWHERE around me in upstate NY. anyways, there # is 818-982-0000
hth,
chris
p.s. i welded plexi to plexi. not plexi to glass. im not really sure what you would use in that situation.
hth,
chris
p.s. i welded plexi to plexi. not plexi to glass. im not really sure what you would use in that situation.