my dyi refug

beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
seems like these things are never done :D
This weekend I disconnected the in tank box for the overflow for cleaning. I left the U tube syphon connected. What happened was the syphon continued because the overflow pipe is lower than the tank level set by the intank box. The water filled up in the refug until it was above the holes in the pipe to the refug. This sealed the pipe to the refug. The water then started backing up in the overflow pipe. And eventually water started leaking where the on tank overflow was connected to the overflow pipe I made (and spilling water on the floor).
There were several solutions for this.
First, when cleaning the intank box simply remove the u tube syphon also and reestablish the syphon when reconnecting.
Second if the overpipe from the HOB overflow to the pipe going to the refug, was completely sealed, no leaking would have happened. The pipe would have filled up with water and stopped water fow when the top of the overflow was reached.
What I did was to drill a small hole above the level of the refug. The water could then fill the pipe below the hole and start flowing out that hole so the water goes to the refug.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by Mr. Ray
hey umm what is this thing for
h*** I don't know but people thought i should build one. :D
Basically is circulates the water from tank to a plastic box and back. The idea is to provide a safe area where the plant life can be protected from the main display. I added some filtering also.
Hopefully I will eventually be able to remove my HOB filter and get all the filtering in the stand and not on the display.
So far I do have more critters in the container and the plants are growing. On the down side I have had floods and am now evaporating about .5-1.0 gallons per day.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
There is a technique for preventing backflow from a return during a power out. It's commonly referred to as an anti-siphon hole. Setting the return exit up high will do the same thing but if you want it lower the anti-siphon hole will work. It's just a small hole at the water level drilled at an angle (down). This little hole will suck air if the water level starts to drop and will kill the siphon to prevent a flood.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
bump pa de bump bump
Also I have replace the powerhead shown here with a diy bulkhead and mag pump.
 
new_noob

new_noob

Member
There are three things a refugium does, it creats a safe place for pods and worms (natural food sources) to grown, filters your tank by having the water go through the sand where the fauna (little bugs) eat all the waste in the water and filters it, and it also keeps plants in a place where they cant over run the main tank causing chocking of corals.
Sorry it kinda late and the lights are out, hard to see the keyboard....
 
arjayl

arjayl

Member
The plexi was cheap and Home Depot cut it to spec. The Weld-On was $30 for a supply that will last the rest of my life. It wasn't the prettiest seems but making the refuge was very easy. Add a few buck for the PVC and it alomost looks like it was built by a professional.
 
arjayl

arjayl

Member
Due to the size, I just used a top from a 10 gal tank with a 50/50 18 watt bulb. I run the light 24/7....but just like everything else, JMO...Theres all kinds of opinons out there.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
interesting, I didn't realize there had been some posts here.
For lighting I just use the 18 watt screw in incandes replacement floodlight. supposed to be 90w eq incandes.
your refug looks better than my refug

:D
Update: If you look at the filter box you will notice some white CC stuff under the landscape lava rocks. I have now replace the white with crushed oyster shells and the lava rocks are just a single layer. The effects have been very encourageing. 5 flame anglefish did just die but that was because of all the dead anemones that I need to replace.
Since using crushed oyster shells and the mag 5 (vrs power head), my calcium has gone from 250-300ppm to 400ppm and stayed there for 4 weeks. I do have to take the box out and rinse the oyster shells every other week. And you should see the "junk" that comes out.
I also have lotsa life forming on the lava rocks. Don't know if they are strom (spelling), corals (i doubt), of some type of sponges. But every rock seemed to have 3-8 or various lifes on them.
And there is more reds, pinks, purples and hard greens in the display.
the brillo pad has slowly spread to where I recently took out a soft ball sized clump. (put it in my display). that was only about 1/4 of the brillo pad in this refug.
And i have grammarus and ghost shrimp in there also.
So this combined with my in tank back wall refug has really helped.
 
arjayl

arjayl

Member
beaslbob
It may look better but cost a heck of alot more money and time to build

I would have gone the route you did but a have VERY limited space under the 55gal.
How long do you run your lights?
I have a greenish film on the top of the water in my fuge...any ideas of what that is?
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by arjayl
beaslbob
It may look better but cost a heck of alot more money and time to build


understand. but I now wish i had a seperate refugium. that way I would have more water volumn for the plant life. But live and learn. At least my calcium got up to 400ppm
I would have gone the route you did but a have VERY limited space under the 55gal.

that is the reason I had to cram this in sideways LOL.
How long do you run your lights?

in this and my "in tank back wall" refugium 24/7. and I am having second thoughts about that. Seems that ph drops even happen on the ocean due to plant life. And when the ph drops then the calcium carbonate buffers kick in to do their work. As long as the ph recovers under light on then the carbon dioxide from the fish is being consumed. Which is the reson I think my fish stopped getting sick and dieing after I added macros to the display.
display lights 6am-11pm. I have 2 2 tube utility fixtures so not a lot of display lighting. each fixture has a 5600k 3450 lumen tube and a 40w corallife actinic.
I have a greenish film on the top of the water in my fuge...any ideas of what that is?
Surface films happen on every tank i have setup. think is is crud from the sand. With FW top feeding fish such as platties clear up the film in about a week (with no circulation or filtration other than plant life). Salt does seem to have more film. again top feeders such as mollies do clear it up but it takes longer. I recently added ghost shrimp to this refuge and they do surface feed. the minor amount of film I had here is almost gone now. With yours being green I suspect you have surface algae. If it get thick enough you can just reach in and pull it out or use a net. A little more water movement may help also. Or even a powerhead just to keep the surface moving.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by arjayl
Thanks....:D
I was thinking a small powerhead would do the trick with the film!
Im actually looking at another thread where enomadra has set up an above the display tank fuge. Im actually thinking about adding another fuge to the system but actually use if for corals. I think Im going to make the tank out of Plexi.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/show...hreadid=110525
From what I hear and it does make sense, an above tank refugium allows the fuge pods to be transferred to the display and not have to be chewed up the the pump.
Another small coral only reef would be awesome.
Would not have to be a refug for the display though.
Could be just a stand alone nano.
Or the main could be the conditioning and filtering for it.
 
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