Making a Refugium

[smoney]

5- The overflow pipe going into the first baffle
6- Refugium Side view
7- The return pump, with a close valve that isnt shown in the pic
8- The caulpera algae that I am using
I was going to build it with the pcp pipe, but decided to go for the regular tubing for now, I think I am definetley going to add the pcp pipe now that I have a good idea of how the refugium works!

 

[hurt]

SMoney-nice

. Was it easy or what? But, it's not my actual design. I stole the orginal plan from another site. But I did modify it a bit.
Why do you have a glass top on the top of the fuge? And do you have your drain pipe(from DT) at the bottom of your intake chamber? Also just to forwarn you, the clear return pipe will most likely begin to grow algae. You may wish to put a black one in place. Great job though!

 

[smoney]

Yeah, for the most part it was easy, but I was kind of in the dark because I didnt fully understand how it worked, but I figured it out. I had a glass top on the refuge, I just took it off because I put my CPR bakpak filter on the refuge right by the black hose. I think I am going to take out the cpr though, its not working right??
I do have my drain pipe at the bottom of the chamber, the only reason for that is because Its the only way the pipe would stay, I plan to change the tubing to pcp plumbing pipe. I just used the rubber tubing to get the idea. I figured the clear one would get ALGAEFIED!

 

[dodgersfan]

very nicely done............tell me how it works out in the long run

 

[hurt]

I can't answer for SMoney, but I've had my fuge (above forementioned picture) for a little over a year now(13 months). As you can tell by the picture, I am harvesting Chaeto monthy. Since installing it, my phosphates and nitrates have both dropped to 0.

 

[smoney]

Yeah I am going to test the water in about a week or so, and I will let you know about the phosphates and nitrates.
Hey rich, Dood, I figured out how to do the refugium! And I didnt even get help from chris!

 

[smoney]

...I would also reccomend some sort of top-off system to replace any evaporated water....QUOTE]
I have noticed a lot of evaporation because of my 24 hour light for my caulpera macro in the refuge. What can you do for some sort of top-off system? :notsure:

 

[thejdshow]

glad I read this post. In a few months I will be doing one. Thanks everyone! your helping more than just the thread starter

 

[smoney]

Hey Thejdshow, if you need any help just let me know. It was easy to build, just a little hard to balance out the water in the DT with the water in the Refugium.

 

[thejdshow]

what do you mean?
Like keeping input same as output? Wouldn't you just need an overflow that is much more capable then your retrun pump? I guess im not sure what your asking
I am not looking to start this project for another month or so however I will let you know. Thanks for the offer

 

[beachrat]

You should have a check valve on the return(pump) side that allows water to flow only one direction in case of a power outage. When I built my sump/refug I started and primed the pump and then decided I needed to reroute one of the pipes. It was around dinner time so I unplugged the pump and went upstairs and had dinner. When I came downstairs both of my display tanks were only half full. I stared in disbelief for a moment then I had to pull my return pump out of the water to break the siphon. I only lost about 50 gallons of water and a few years off my life. (not to mention the soggy carpet and the wet-dry vacuum cleanup that lasted til the wee hours) There was a slight flaw in my design. I added the check valve and all has been fine.

 

[smoney]

I have a check valve on my return pump already, My question was what kind of system could you use for all the water that has evaporated, instead of constantly adding water?

 

[hurt]

Drip Kalk. That's what I do. I just use a gallon jug and some air tubing with an air valve in the line to adjust the rate of the drip. Very simple and does the job. Your DT stays the same level always, right. You should just see the fluctuation in your fuge through evaporation.

 

[smoney]

yeah my display tank is always at the same place. I dont get what your saying, the dripping the think, do you have any pics of it?

 

[hurt]

Yep, here is a pic. It drips into my overflow, then right into my protein skimmer chamber in my fuge. If you don't mix Kalk in your RO/DI, you could drip it anywhere into your tank. Kalk H2O though should be dripped directly into your skimmer. Hope this helps.

 

[brolik1]

Hey smoney what kind of pump are you using in the refugium.My head is 3.5 ft so I am using a via aqua 480 water pump rated 4 ft max,or should I get the 1300 model which is rated for 6 ft max? And also for the return line is it ok to use black vinyl tubing with a valve halfway the line?

 

[brolik1]

Also Im using a 10g how high should I make the 2 center baffels?and ho much off the floor of the tank should I put the 1st baffel?

 

[smoney]

Hello!

You should get the 1300 model pump. I belive that is the one that I have on my tank. I don't think that I would use black vinyl tubing. I'm not sure, but you have to check if that is ok for your tank. I remember when my friend tried to use black vinyl tubing, he killed his whole tank, because of some toxins in the tube. I am not totally sure, but I believe that he had the black tubing. On the return line, I would actually have a close valve in the middle. That way if the power shuts off, then the close valve will stop the water from flooding your refuge.
Ok, the first baffle should be an 1.5" off the floor of the tank. The second and third baffle should be 8" high.

 

[brolik1]

Ok so I wont use the vinyl tubing.Ill use the regular clear plastic tube with a close valve in the middle for the return line.And for the intake should i use the hose that is used on the overflow boxes?do you have recent pics of your return pump so that I can see how you did it?

 

[smoney]

For the intake, I used the tube that came with the overflow box. For the return line, I used the clear tubing, that way it was easy to put the closevalve in the middle.
I will try to put pics up on thanksgiving, but right now I am off to work.