DIY Refugium

[jholt1]

I want to buy a pre-built refugium or build one myself. Where did you get yours? Any good sites for how to build one? Thoughts of glass aquarium vs acrylic? I want to use a skimmer, then miracle mud, then bio-balls, and finally the return sump. I have a 90 gallon tank, how large of a sump? Do I need to route some of the flow around the refugium? Thanks for your input!

 

[zavala83]

You can get some foot prints from melvesreef.com. That is where I got my ideas at. I work for a sign shop and have access to a CNC router. Then just use weld on to glue it together. My sump cost me $50 to make.

 

[rbredding]

I'm running a 12"X17"X10" plastic container with a bulkhead in it that drains directly into my return section of the sump... the refugium is fed from a branch in the display tank drain line... (the branch has a true gate valve so I can dial in the volume flowing into and out of) the refugium..

it cost less than $20 including the 3/4" gate valve, pvc fittings feeding the fuge, container, bulkhead, vinyl hose to the return section and the plastic storage container...

I've got a standard 18" T8 lamp providing illumination

 

[tuckdaway]

+1 ^ $20 Sump from Home Depot with piping...4" LS....also came up with DIY bulkhead 1" male, oring, and 1"female threaded coupling...works like a champ and costs less than $2.

 

[rbredding]

Rbredding;386879 wrote: I'm running a 12"X17"X10" plastic container with a bulkhead in it that drains directly into my return section of the sump... the refugium is fed from a branch in the display tank drain line... (the branch has a true gate valve so I can dial in the volume flowing into and out of) the refugium..

it cost less than $20 including the 3/4" gate valve, pvc fittings feeding the fuge, container, bulkhead, vinyl hose to the return section and the plastic storage container...

I've got a standard 18" T8 lamp providing illumination

Here's a quick picture... (the tank isn't wet yet...)

notice the red valve in the upper left hand corner.. that's the flow regulator I spoke about...
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<legend> Attached files </legend>

 

[tuckdaway]

Here's mine...specs above in previous post...think I have about $20 in this.....if I had to do it over probably would have put overflow a little lower to avoid spills.

Also can't see the the input line but it is direct from my overflow with a ball valve....
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<legend> Attached files </legend>

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[rbredding]

what kind of light have you got there?

 

[tuckdaway]

It is a flourescent spot bulb...15w total and the fuge has coraline all over it...also Cheato doing well....read about it on Reef Central.....$6-7 at Home Depot.

 

[rbredding]

friggin BRIGHT...