Economically Friendly 10gal fuge?

[soupysteve]

Subject says it all. I have a ten gallon tank doing nothing but dust collection. I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a skimmer, HOT filter (225 gph), 4 powerheads (190 gph each), and a 30 watt submersible heater. I would like to make a fuge or "topper" if possible buying as few things as possible (maybe using powerheads as pumps???). I am NOT a carpenter but I'm sure I could do most PVC pipe applications.
I'd like to consider myself "thrifty" rather than a "tite wad", but you get what I'm asking for.

 

[soupysteve]

wow - I figured that soemone would have suggested something by now... Oh well, BUMP!

 

[beaslbob]

soupy:
you might try the thread I started entitled my DYI refugium.
I used a tupperware with an diy box for filter media. powered it with a power head. I now have upgraded to a mag 5 because the water flow was so slow.
One thing that was very important is to test the system to ensure you don't have a flood when the power goes off or when the power returns.
You may also want to use the 10g for a nano or a culture tank. I use an old 20g for my macros and plants for instance.

 

[shanev]

And you need to have a good plan for getting water to the fuge or to the tank. DONT attempt 2 pumps, (one to fuge one to display) it will never work long term. Look into either an overflow or drilling the tank.
WHen you say topper I assume you want the 10 gallon above the display and not below it?

 

[soupysteve]

Sorry - when I wrote "topper" I meant that I would like to use some sort of top-off switch in my "display" tank to turn on either a pump or a powerhead in my 10 gallon to send more water into my display until it "tops off". I figure this could work kind of like a toilet bowl???
I was thinking that if I could have water flowing to and from this 10 gallon tank into my 55, I could put a small chunk of LR in it, some sand, etc for pods, algae, etc... but keep only like 7 gallons of water in it.... I could simply add my distilled water to this tank, and if I had some swtch (like the toilet bowl has) it would top-off my display tank automatically... I thought that if I just kept the pump/powerhead that does the topping off for the 55 above where the 5 gallon water line in the 10 galllon would be... I could keep it from pumping too much water into the 55 gallon???
I just don't have the desire to get my tank drilled and I didn't know if it was possible to build a small reefugium/top-off device would be possible. I'm just on vacation and wanted to do something constructive and cheap for my reef.

 

[shanev]

IMO its a bad idea, as sometimes top off switches get stuck. Look into a DIY overflow box, much safer, much more effecient.

 

[reefraff]

I made a 10g. fuge for my 55 and it works great. I used an Amiracle overflow box with a mag 5 for a return pump. I siliconed a peice of plastic across one end to create a sump area for the pump and I have the drain hose emptying in right there too. The pump doesn't keep up with the overflow so it creates a very slight current in the fuge area. If I ran the drain on one side and the pump on the other the water would flow too fast through the fuge to do any good. With a powerhead for a pump you might have a slow enough flow rate to be able to drain at one end and pump at the other. It sounds cheesy but works great.

 

[goatfish]

Definatly go with an over flow you will thank yourself. I went and ordered a drilled tank (29 gal drilled is scarce) to flow to my fuge. I just have a maxi-jet 1200 as my return on the opposite side of the tank (both behind baffles) and it works very well. I might could use slightly more flow but not much. I may just raise my fuge to lessen the head pressure to get that. Mine has been set up for over a year now and is doing great.