Modding a nano with an exterior refugium

[socalnano24]

Ok, so I underestimated how much I was going to want to tinker with my nano. I originally bought it because everything is included, but now want to do something new without buying a new tank!
So I came up with the idea of making a cabinet/stand next to my nano with a 5 gallon acrylic tank with its own lighting, live sand, live rock, shrimps and algae/chaeto. This is my concept. simply elevate the fuge tank, and have my output filter go into it, then have an overflow, or plumbed fitting to a pipe that feeds back into the main tank. I would do it while trying to keep the hood on my nano, and just cutting holes as required to fit the piping.
Has anybody done this, is this feasible/ a good idea?
Plus a project like this will keep me from buying anymore fish for a while

 

[socalnano24]

btw, its a 24 gallon nano, and I'm currently running a mechanical sponge, ceramic tubes, chemi pure and bio balls.
Might be able to remove some of those components if I got the fuge up and running properly.

 

[socalnano24]

bump?

 

[dankbardy31]

CPR makes a hang out refugium that is pretty cool. If you don't want to spend that kind of money you can make one in that style. Its simple and does the trick. Nano-newb has one. Also have you checked out his fuge mod for the nanocube 24's?

 

[spanko]

Appears as though it should work to me. Need to ensure that the gravity return from the fuge is high enough in the fuge that only as much water can drain from it back into the display that will not overflow in case of power outage. And that the pump from the nano is small as you want slow flow through the fuge.
This from living reefs;
"The flow rate that will optimize your refugium will greatly depend on how you have your refuge set up. If you're using it for nutrient export then shoot for a turnover rate of five times your tank volume per hour. If you're using your refuge as a pod farm then you can increase this flow rate to ten times your tank capacity if you want. If you're using the refuge as a plankton farm then you will probably want a flow rate much lower than even five times the turnover rate."

 

[socalnano24]

Originally Posted by dankbardy31
http:///forum/post/3050276
CPR makes a hang out refugium that is pretty cool. If you don't want to spend that kind of money you can make one in that style. Its simple and does the trick. Nano-newb has one. Also have you checked out his fuge mod for the nanocube 24's?
I've seen his refugium in a cup set up for chaeto; however it seems that requires completely removing the hood to add the external light. ( I suppose some LED lights could fit in the factory hood with slight mods ) I'm trying to make something work while keeping the hood (mainly) in tact with just an input and output of waterflow; then I would build a cabinet around the exterior fuge.
I'm also interested in the benifit of increasing my water capacity to make the tank more stable...
I'll have to check out the CPR thing.
Thanks for the feedback.
Spanko, thats great info. I hadn't even considered the difference for using it for nutrient enrichment vs. food production

 

[nycbob]

i thought the whole point of having a nano tank is simplicity. with all the stuff u r adding, u might as well get a regular tank.

 

[socalnano24]

Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/3050396
i thought the whole point of having a nano tank is simplicity. with all the stuff u r adding, u might as well get a regular tank.
Well yeah, I didn't follow the whole determine what size tank you want then double it rule. Now I want something better or at least more complicated; however don't want to lose the $1000 I've already invested in the nano, by starting over.

 

[socalnano24]

Originally Posted by dankbardy31
http:///forum/post/3050276
CPR makes a hang out refugium that is pretty cool. If you don't want to spend that kind of money you can make one in that style. Its simple and does the trick. Nano-newb has one. Also have you checked out his fuge mod for the nanocube 24's?
Thanks for the heads up Danky, NanoNewbs fuge set up is sweet. Thats exactly what I was thinking, but maybe making one.
nycbob did bring up a good point about the simplicity thing. It would be a shame to make my nano too complicated.
My neighbor is moving up to San Fransisco soon and giving me his long shallow 40 gallon (like 18 x 18 x 36 (not sure of the exact size) (its actually never been used yet he was planning on setting it up, but now doesn't want to cart it up there). So maybe I'll have to just do a fuge with that and set up another tank soon. I think I may get it in July or August