DIY Refugium First Try

[BIGBIRD123]

Here's a pic of my first try at a refugium. Used an old Eclipse 20g tank. This is an along- the-side fuge. Using a rio 2100 (I know) for now and probably going to hook-up a Eheim 1040 for flow instead. It is gravity fed to the sump. All I need to do is add the livestock to it. What you think?

Steve

[BIGBIRD123]

Out of 31 views, I figured someone would have a comment.

[GaryP]

It looks good. Is that where you water level is going to be? You don't need very much water flow through a fuge. Something like a Maxijet should be enough, although I don't know how much head pressure you're going to be fighting.

[BIGBIRD123]

Gary,
Well I'm going 24" up and 28" across, then 10" down. The water level will be at the baffle on the left. The overflow is a 2" opening into a 1" pvc (gravity-fed) . I'm thinking that the Eheim 1040 will do the trick. What do you think? I put a small baffle (on the right) for the pump input to keep from stirring-up the sandbed. Thanks for any input.

Steve

[GaryP]

Steve,

I'm not familiar with the Eheim although I've heard its a good pump. The question is what is the flow going to be at the head pressure you are bucking?

I have my fuge flow coming from a T off of the return line so I don't know exactly what my flow rate is. I just eyeball it. I'm guessing it is a couple hundred gph in a 30 gal. fuge.

Whatever you do, don't put bubble caulerpa in your fuge. My wife and I spent all day yesterday trying to get it out of my fuge. I'm trying to run Chaetomorpha only, with maybe a little dragon's breath (Gracillaria?) I'd suggest adding some LR rubble and empty snail shells for pods.

[Tim Marvin]

Looks good.

[Henry]

That ehiem is going to be more than enough. You may have to trottle it back a little. Its a pretty strong little pump. Otherwise looks great

[BIGBIRD123]

Thanks to all for the advice and comments. Here are some pix of the new fuge in action. How about it?

[wkopplin]

Looks good. Let me know if you want some good live fuge mud. I have tons of critters running around mins and I need to trim back the macros, so you can have some of that too.