Adding External Refugium

mrsaltwaterguy · Sep 6, 2016

Hey all,

Looking for ideas on how I could add an external refugium to my existing 75 gallon tank. I would have to have it next to the tank as there is currently no room next to my sump. I would like to have it as fail safe as possible as I can't risk having a flood in my current apartment. All ideas appreciated!

Brian Kim · Sep 6, 2016

Have you thought about going with the HOB refugium kit?

mrsaltwaterguy · Sep 6, 2016

Brian Kim said:
Have you thought about going with the HOB refugium kit?

I've thought about it but I've heard mixed reviews on them leaking.

Brian Kim · Sep 6, 2016

Not sure if having a refugium plumbed externally is safe imho. If you have room in your sump going upwards then you can try to add a small refugium like what I did. Just a suggestion, it's pretty fail proof.

bif24701 · Sep 6, 2016

Mine works just fine.

cromag27 · Sep 6, 2016

If you want the highest chance of no floods, you'll need to drill both tanks.

mrsaltwaterguy · Sep 7, 2016

cromag08 said:
If you want the highest chance of no floods, you'll need to drill both tanks.

As in drilling both my sump where it would be going both to and from my external refugium?

cromag27 · Sep 7, 2016

Exactly.

427HISS · Sep 7, 2016

I would like to add a question.

I know it depends on what size of display and the refugium tank, but what gallon of pump is needed ?
With a combo internal sump, you're limited to not having too much flow, but with a external, what GPH
is best ? Can the flow be pretty darn slow ?

ReeferMaddness843 · Sep 7, 2016

If wanted it as a display fuge, you could add next to your 75. Drill the refugium as if it were a second display tank and simply plumb the overflow into your sump into the return section. You could either "T" off your current return back to the fuge and valve both returns off if your pump is strong enough, or simply add a second small return pump back to the display fuge. Basically creating a loop from your return section for the fuge. That's what I would do for critters. For macros, you could add the return pump to fuge from the pre skimmer section to allow the "dirty" water to feed the macro pre skim.

ReeferMaddness843 · Sep 7, 2016

I run a small hacked up biocube I like to call my biofuge for critters next to my sump. However I use the overflow box method and have yet to have any issues at all in the past 6 months. (Probably gonna flood now that I said that)

427HISS · Sep 7, 2016

ReeferMaddness843 said:
I run a small hacked up biocube I like to call my biofuge for critters next to my sump. However I use the overflow box method and have yet to have any issues at all in the past 6 months. (Probably gonna flood now that I said that)

"(Probably gonna flood now that I said that)",....lol, yep !