Hang on refugium idea.

[alexmir]

I tried a custom hang on back fuge a while back, it didnt work at all and looked trashy. This time, im trying to make it myself out of hard plastic sheets. IT will be 13" long,6" wide, and 10" high.
I will use a bulkhead to return the water into the tank, it will be set above the DT so that gravity pulls it down, and a powerhead will supply into the fuge.
I will have my skimmer hanging on the back of the fuge, so that i dont have the ugly skimmer equipment in my DT.
Has anyone ever done this, or something similar, and want to contribute helpful ideas? or anyone want to ridicule my idea?

 

[frankthetank]

I have someone building me a custom HOB Refugium. I'm basically modeling it after the CPR version. I'm having it custom built to 16" long x 5" wide x 14" tall. This will produce about a 4g refugium. CPR makes 13" & 19" versions, but I wanted something in between.
Now here is the kicker... instead of plumbing the refugium with a power head from the DT... I wanted to eliminate the ph in the DT. So I am drilling the bottom of the refugium so that I can T & plumb my return line into the refugium. I'll use a piece of PVC and a 90 to direct flow across the refugium. Everything else is of the CPR basic concept.
I'm having some flanges built to hold a 12" Satellite on top of the refugium for lighting.
Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[alexmir]

I do not have a sump or a drilled tank though, so i have to have a powerhead feeding the fuge. I am going to try and model it after the online pre-made ones. I think i am going to use pvc to hold the fuge.
Get a pic up when you get yours back, i will probably start mine sometime this week, i think that will help keep my hair algea under control.
I have two 13 watt clip on compact flourescent lights that i am going to use.
Are you going to keep the lights on 24hrs a day, i would like to, but dont know how that will do with it being hang on back. I think i will keep it on 24 hrs for a few days, then keep the lights over it around 12 hrs and take ph readings after they have been off for a few hrs.

 

[frankthetank]

Ahh... Yes, I do have a sump. But if you don't then you'll need the ph in the DT. CPR makes a 13" HOB Refugium... did you not like it??
I plan on keeping a 5" sand bed & cheato in the refugium. The 12" satellite will run for approx 16 hours per day when the MH goes off.

 

[ibew41]

I dyi my own fuge and a maxi jet 1200 in the fuge so you dont see the pump.put a ball valve on the intake to regulate flow

 

[alexmir]

Any chance you can personal message me a pic? I would like to get an idea of what yours looks like.
I do like the pre-made HOB refugiums, i just dont like the 150$ price tag!!! ALso, this will be a small project so the DIY part shouldnt be TOO difficult (

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