New to Hobby and Refugiums

[ArsenalFish42]

Hello! So I’m new to starting my own tank. I have some experience in the hobby already. But I just bought a 30L Innovative Marine tank, and would like to set up a Refugium once the tank has cycled and all. Given the tanks size, and my situation, the aquafuge HOB Refugiums won’t work for me. I’ve though about a small custom one for the side of the tank, which is only 10” long. So I have limited room. And I’d like to go bigger if possible. Is it possible to make a separate tank a Refugium, and put it under my tank in the stand, and have a pump suck the water from the tank, and have a pump, force it back in? If so, would this effect pod growth, such as would it kill them going through the pump into the tank? Any information would be awesome. I want to maximize pod growth as much as possible. Open to some ideas! Thanks!

 

[beaslbob]

Yes it is quite possible to have a separate container/tank as a refugium/sump.

(the sump is the lowest container in the system)

You do have to have an overflow and return pump and I highly recommend you experiment with a couple of $5 containers in the garage to figure out how to set it up.

It is best to have a much larger refugium flowing into the smaller sump. That way the refugium stays at a constant water level and the sump is where the level changes due to evaporation, water added and so on.

Be sure to do the following adjustments:

1) no floods with power outages.
2) normal operation returns with power returns
3) no display flood when overflow/drain fails. (sump should run dry first).

Overflows can be made from $20 worth of PVC.

The actual containers can be simple storage types available from wall mart type stores or building supply stores.

my .02

 

[ArsenalFish42]

Yes it is quite possible to have a separate container/tank as a refugium/sump.

(the sump is the lowest container in the system)

You do have to have an overflow and return pump and I highly recommend you experiment with a couple of $5 containers in the garage to figure out how to set it up.

It is best to have a much larger refugium flowing into the smaller sump. That way the refugium stays at a constant water level and the sump is where the level changes due to evaporation, water added and so on.

Be sure to do the following adjustments:

1) no floods with power outages.
2) normal operation returns with power returns
3) no display flood when overflow/drain fails. (sump should run dry first).

Overflows can be made from $20 worth of PVC.

The actual containers can be simple storage types available from wall mart type stores or building supply stores.

my .02

Thank you for the reply! This tank has two built in overflows and a back "sump" section. What I would like to do is have a 5-10 gallon refugium under the tank. Would I have the return and inlet in the tank? or in the "sump" section. And when you said overflow, do I need one for the separate refugium tank? I guess I am just getting confused here.

 

[beaslbob]

I looked up the 30l nuvo innovative marine tank.

At that price you may just want to use the back wall sump section and just add some lighting to grow chaetomorphia in that section.

You could use a pvc hob overflow draining below the tank and pump water back up from the sump below the tank.

this old thread show a couple of my pvc overflows in the center of the thread.

The idea is the "u" section traps water in case of power outage which restarts the siphon when power return.


hope that helps.

 

[beaslbob]

it would help is I included the link. LOL

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/this-guy-want-a-beaslbob-trap.36891/

 

[ArsenalFish42]

Thanks! I just wanted to run it in a seperate area than the tank in order to have a sandbed and such for more pod growth as well as more room for chaeto to grow.