Backwards Refugium: Ideas?

[Gmandese]

Sounds like a weird title, right? Well, read on and it will make sense (I hope).

I want to build a refugium for my 55g tank. Problem is, I don't have room underneath, plus I can't see what's living in there. Same thing for a HOB, I don't have room behind it or on the side. (Kris & Andre have seen my setup.
So, I have this idea, maybe you can let me know if it will fly.
What I conceive, is to install a shelf on the back wall behind my tank, high enough not to interfere with my filters, etc. Then use my 5.5gal tank, put it on the shelf, place the pump in the 55 gal aquarium, and put a small overflow box in the refugium. (See? That's what I mean by reverse.). The benifits are:

A. It will fit!
B. When I light it up, I can see all the wonderful stuff going on inside!
C. Easily reachable to perform maintenance.
D. Shelf is big enough to store other crap on. (We all need more room for crap!).
E. Don't have to partition it off to keep stuff from going into the return pump. Just some nylon or fiberglass screen around the overflow.

Of course, there may be down sides to this idea, one I can think of is will I be able to find a small enough overflow? Maybe it's a DIY project.
Will the 5.5 be big enough? (without the partitions)? Looks ok to me though.

Any input would be appreciated, especially where to get supplies and refugium, uh, inhabitants.

Thanks, Gerry

 

[marrone]

Gerry

A # of people have setups where instead of the water flowing down it's acutally pump up to a wet/dry or sump and then the gravity brings it's back down into the tank. The LFS that use to be on E23 between 2nd and 3rd had a setup like that. Most of their filteration was above the main tanks. So it does work and I'm sure some one here could make you a small over flow box or drill a hole in the tank.

Michael

 

[pmui]

hi Gerry,

instead of using a overflow box, drill a hole where you want the max height of the water in the 5gal. tank. insert a tube of some sort in to the hole and into the 55gal. I've seen this done before, all you need is a small water pump to push the water into the small tank from the main one.

The refugium can house live sand, caulpera, pods and shrimps.

Peter

 

[Gmandese]

Thanks, though I'm not sure how I would go about drilling the hole!
And, sorry, Peter I forgot to mention you saw my tanks too!
Waiting for my 55w CF 50/50's. They're in the mail!

Gerry

 

[pmui]

a diamond bit hole saw, goes throug it easily. Ask around if anyone has one that's make a 1" hole.

Peter

 

[SlamaJama]

is this 55 on a standard stand...because if it is, my 55 stand has room for a 20 gal underneth

 

[DRZL]

is this 55 on a standard stand...because if it is, my 55 stand has room for a 20 gal underneth

Thats what I said, better to just put an insump DIY ER and use the space that way.

It depends what your looking for the refugium to do;

5 gallon refugium
PRO's
-Place for pods to breed(tank size dictates amount)
-its small, cute, and fun.

CON's
-If your looking for added PH stability, it wont do a thing as its way undersized.
-Won't put a dent on on phosphates or nitrates/or any organics.
- for $10 more you buy a 20L sump and for $50 more I'll help you make a DIY ER rated for tanks 150G+ (price for parts) labor no charge
-It will be cute but pretty useless

My train of thought is to waste any of our money in the way most productive to the animals we try to keep.

my .02

Andres
BTW Gerry you gotta post pics of that dog doing the "humpty hump"

 

[DRZL]

My rule of thumb is that if your refugium is not the same volume as your tank(larger being better) than it is running unbalanced and wont have many of the benefits that it would have otherwise.

You wouldnt wash your car w/ a napkin the whole time and expect it to be clean, would you?
I know I know my analogies are kinda weird

 

[nanoreefer22]

LoL...crazy kids. Gerry try out the fuge on the reef tank you've got and you should be pretty happy with it and then you could do the DIY EAP with Andres and it'll be good.
-Kris
PS. Andres I got bad news for you........

 

[Gmandese]

You mean to say, if I have a 55g tank, my refugium should be 55g too? Where the hell would I put it? But really, I really intend it as a place to raise pods, and ok, be cute, but there is no way of getting a 20 gal under this stand. It is way too narrow front to back, only 7" clearance, and the door is 11 1/2" wide x 18" high. When I had the wet/dry, I had to drain the tank and pull everything away from the wall & pull it out from the back.
The stand is a f***ed up design, but that's what the guy on Craig's list had. I'd change it if I had one, but I don't.

 

[Gmandese]

Yes, it's a mess under there, I was digging stuff out and changing wires all day until the plumber showed up to change the hot water heater.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Gerry,
I know that stand is just like mine, just gotta work with em. If something went wrong with my sump I'd have to remove my main tank to take the sump out. All part of the process I guess. Easy solution to the stand problem would be to buy a metal stand at petland or see if anyone has one for cheap and just frame it with some 1/4inch or 1/2inch plywood. Cheap and it'll do the trick.
-Kris

 

[nanoreefer22]

Gerry,
What if you turned the back of the stand to be the front, it seems like the opening in the back is a lot bigger than the front, then just get a door and put it on and oyu have a whole new stand with a bigger door. Think it'll work?
-Kris
PS. The nano looks ssccchhhwweeeetttttt

 

[Deanos]

Gerry,
What if you turned the back of the stand to be the front, it seems like the opening in the back is a lot bigger than the front, then just get a door and put it on and oyu have a whole new stand with a bigger door. Think it'll work?
-Kris
PS. The nano looks ssccchhhwweeeetttttt

LOL...the tank looks full, Kris. Maybe you and I could lift the tank while he rotates the stand :sgrin:

 

[nanoreefer22]

Woooppppppsss and I was there just last night :lol:

 

[DRZL]

You mean to say, if I have a 55g tank, my refugium should be 55g too? Where the hell would I put it? But really, I really intend it as a place to raise pods, and ok, be cute.

Yeah thats for a REFUGIUM that'll function the way it supposed to.
Now a SUMP w/ a kick ass skimmer takes much much less space and does alot more.

I really intend it as a place to raise pods, and ok, be cute

I knew it! :sgrin: :shhh:

 

[DRZL]

PS. Andres I got bad news for you........

Dude your scaring me...whats up? PM me if you wanna keep it hush hush :shhh:

 

[Gmandese]

Of course, the back of the stand is ugly. There is no actual wall, just 4 pcs of pine, 4" wide, spaced across the back. Like slats. If I mess with those, the tank will fall down.
I do have a 20L by the way, the leopard gecko is in it. I have another one in my basement that I don't trust to hold water, I could swap. I just need a better stand.
But, the thing is, I kind of like seeing the fuge, just wish I had somewhere to put it. If I tried to put the 20L on the shelf, the wall will probably fall down.
Maybe I should just sell the 55, and get something in similar capacity, but more cube or bow shaped. Would make for a deeper stand.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Whispers *upgrade bug hit ya*....how bout a 65g...right in that range and its 36 long x 18 wide x 24high.
-Kris

 

[Gmandese]

Sounds right, if the price is something I can afford! I'll have to sell some stuff.