DIY Refugium

[kirru]

Ok well, earlier I had posted a thread for a potential HOB refugium, well that fell though but I still did a refuigium but its not HOB style. It site in a tight space behind my 10 gallon nano.

Here is the supply list:
1 - !00% Pure Clear Silicone from PetSmart $ 5.99
1 - 2.5G Aquarium from PetSmart $ 9.99
1 - 24" 1/2" dia. Flex Pipe from Lowes $ 0.87
3 - 1/2" 90* Elbow from Lowes 3@.27e $ 0.81
1 - 8x11.5" .080" Thick Plexiglass from Lowes $ 1.58
1 - ReptiFlow 200 rated 45gph from PetSmart $16.99

I added a 20"x17" piece of plywood to hold it close to the back of the ten gallon.

PIcture time:

Here is what the 2.5g tank looked liked before, this is the 2nd one as the 1st had a crack

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The shelf in which the pump shall sit on:

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The shield for the supply line to keep the DSB from being disturbed:

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It all put in the tank:

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Then let it sit for 3 days while waiting for it to be cured and according to the silicon instructions safe for water.


Then tonight I set it all up:

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Some pics are flipped, plz excuse my laziness to rotate them.


As of now, a basic desk lap is the light, will the be ok for now or do I need something else?

Also, I added a 5lb bag of sand the bottom and will get some cheato(anyone?) and some live rock rubble of some small pieces.

Anything I should of done better or differently? Hopefully this will help my tank as it needed it a lot. total water volume= 12.5 gallons now.

Also, will my heater be ok in here, or leave in tank? and will the Bio-Cube protein skimmer work with my tank? If so, will it be ok in the refugium or should i put in the tank?


Thanks a lot for reading this, cant wait for comments. This is also my first DIY project, YEA!

 

[skriz]

silicone doesn't really bond acrylic, so let's hope your pump shelf doesn't collapse. Did you consider using weldon to form the shelf?

 

[kirru]

Yes, I did, and I am thinking that it will hold as I, from lab test just for the hack of it while in class, push around 35lbs of pressure so I did that a few times and tried a few more things of heavier weight to test and it seemed ok.

if for some reason it doesn't last, which is ok, the pump has sucktion cups on the bottom of it so i just push it the glass and it sticks.

Yea, I thought of using weldon but couldnt find it locally and dont really want to have to have it shipped to my dorm at college.

But I plan on getting a bigger tank anyway when I move back to atlanta for the spring semester. hopefully all goes well.

i'll keep everyone posted as well

 

[skriz]

your dorm room has hardwoods? I got jipped!

 

[kirru]

Yes it does. haha I am sorry you got jipped. the whole dorm does, both rooms, litchen(a mergred kitchen living room) and we have tile in the bathroom.