DIY refuge?

[brissey02]

I have an icecap that’s setup just like this one, but I think a little bigger.
I’m looking for recommendations on putting a refuge in.

Left compartment is taken up by socks and carbon

Middle has mostly fallen victim to my giant skimmer (I say mostly because I just might be able to wiggle something else in

Right back compartment has my return pump
Right front is a ATO compartment that I don’t use.

I thought about a HOB refuge, but everything I see costs as much as my sump did

Which leads me to say- looking for anything anyone can come up with to add one in.. I’m only 50% scared of a DIY project

 

[Projects with Sam]

Can you actually put link for the sump so we can checkout the specs?
Why not use the right front compartment for your refugium?
would you need to drill for that or are there configurable baffles?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Can you actually put link for the sump so we can checkout the specs?
Why not use the right front compartment for your refugium?
would you need to drill for that or are there configurable baffles?

The right front is self contained -it's an ATO reservoir

 

[jassermd]

If you're not using the right front compartment that is "ATO", then I would recommend cutting or drilling a hole(s) to allow for water flow into the compartment. You can easily use that for a refuge without any additional expense other than a light for the chaeto.

 

[Reefer825]

If I were to convert it, it'd be similar to what other's mentioned. I'd remove the adjustable baffle leading to the return pump chamber (either silicone in a large enough acrylic piece to cover the entire hole or dril holes around it and screw it on with plastic screws) cut a hole leading into the ATO compartment. You can cut a hole and leave it but it might be better to get another smaller adjustable baffle for that hole since that wall of the ATO doesn't look as wide. Last but not least, cut a whole on the other wall of the ATO compartment leading into the return pump chamber and put the original adjustable baffle there. That's how I'd do it. Turn your return pump off, close your gate valve on your main drain, place your heater in the display and leave your wavemakers on. When water is done draining into the sump from the emergency drain you can then disassemble the plumbing below the bulkheads (Do Not Undo the Bulkheads). Remove the water from the sump so you can get it out easily to work on it. Have everything you need ahead of time and you should be able to knock it out within 4-5 hours. Just have everything you're going to need along with some heated saltwater on standbuy to replace what was removed and you'll have a great space for a refugium! Even if it takes longer everything will be fine in the display for 24hrs like that. If other's would do it this way they might have some better tips for you.

 

[brissey02]

Can you actually put link for the sump so we can checkout the specs?
Why not use the right front compartment for your refugium?
would you need to drill for that or are there configurable baffles?

Would have to drill. I was advised against it by a LFS, but if it’s deemed otherwise, I don’t see why I couldn’t drill.

 

[brissey02]

Would have to drill. I was advised against it by a LFS, but if it’s deemed otherwise, I don’t see why I couldn’t drill.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef...BJ56uAmf8xG9K5YYuUK-QguBKkUHc0nxoC9uUQAvD_BwE

Upon looking further the one I took a screenshot of is it.

 

[Reefer825]

Would have to drill. I was advised against it by a LFS, but if it’s deemed otherwise, I don’t see why I couldn’t drill.

It's easy. He was probably saying that in hopes you buy a sump through him, ..kidding. Here's a quick clip showing how easy it is. They make bits for everything except tempered glass. I'd mark out my hole's to the sizes I'd want, drill four holes on each corner on the inside of your marked corner's. Then you can use a Dremel tool which you can get just about any type of bit for this job and then use those four holes you just drilled as start-stop points for the Dremel tool. Run the Dremel each from those holes to finish your cuts. You can even get different sanding/polishing bits to remove the acrylic residue that'll remain from the drill and dremel to make it look nice and finished. You can get a pack of all different types of Dremel bits for probably $40 and a Dremel for under $100 and you'll find a lot more ways you can use that around your house or for any other type of projects you may have. They're real handy. You'll see what I mean about the melted acrylic fibers in this clip.

 

[Reefer825]

There's a lot of very knowledgeable people on here so hopefully they'll give you some ideas as well. Best of luck to you!

 

[brissey02]

thats probably what I’ll end up doing. The sump isn’t even a year old lol. I was always told I either needed a skimmer or a refuge, but not both.. since I had a relatively new skimmer, I didn’t take into consideration ever needing a refuge. Now I’m regretting that decision haha.

I have that particular attachment from a previous project; and a drill. Would those work or does it have to be a drimel?

 

[Projects with Sam]

You could probably use that to make the hole from the skimmer chamber to the fuge but you may get better water motion / chaeto agitation doing a slit. You would accomplish this by drilling two smallish holes (3/8" bit?) about 4" apart on the ~8" wall of the skimmer chamber leading to the fuge (ATOR) chamber. I would make them parallel to the bottom of the tank, (about 3"? up) so the resulting slit cut between them is horizontal. You could then use a ruler to mark straight lines between the tops and bottoms of the circles to cut along. Then use a jig saw with a lot of teeth, a grinder, a Dremel, or even just a bare saw blade held in paper-towels to cut along those lines to make a long oval.

regarding the hole from the fuge to the return chamber... You may want a bubble trap so you should pickup a small piece of acrylic 10.4" wide (measure) This can be siliconed into place to force the water down afer the fuge.
I'm not familir with the stock baffle/bubbletrap of this sump so my recommendations end here.
Good luck!