DIY Refugium

[vinny73]

I looked online to find a fuge that would fit a 24g nano. The base cost wholesale was about 117 bucks. Then the largest one which was 29" was 400 bucks. So I stopped by my local acrylic shop and picked through their bins and found enough to make a 29l x 17t x 5w. The fuge is fed by a maxijet 1200 with the downspout from the pump going into a separate chamber that acts as a phosban reactor. I filled it with carbon. The center area will be filled tomorrow with miracle mud, rubble, chaeto and whatever else I can get my hands on. I then made a light from a retrofit pc that Dave Morris gave me. I just used a piece of 4" abs with a window cut out of it for a piece of acrylic to allow the light to shine through. I then waterproofed the ends. The fuge then drains back to the return side of the tank. I read the refugium chapter in julian sprungs volume 3. There are alot of designs out there!
Anyone have any ideas of what to put in there to keep an sps tank clean and happy? That is what this is all for. Been out of the loop for a long time so my new 3 24g nanos and a 12g nano have a new stand, new layout and the same corals I had in my 240g. Will post pics tomorrow when the lights are on and everything can be seen better.

[FlipCyd]

Sounds pretty sweet Vinny.
Chaeto will work for you refugium.

[vinny73]

I have been reading that the green algaes work best for nutrient reduction and the reds deplete the trace elements faster. Is this true?

[vinny73]

I wish I could have a fuge next to my tank . Then I could do a nice fuge with mangroves, seagrass and others. I have done a bit of research and a fuge can look really cool.

[FlipCyd]

I like chaeto, because people give it away for free. Mangroves are supposed to reduce phosphates.

Makes sense about the red macro algae, they need something to keep them red.

[vinny73]

Also, I would like to put a frag rack in there. Would that be okay to have hovering over the chaeto? I am gonna buy a new 6700/10k bulb tomorrow. I have my Solro led fuge light but the circuit board seemed to short out all but 1 row of led's. Before it did this, it would grow chaeto on my 240g very fast.

[vinny73]

If mangroves reduce phosphates then I might want to put 1 or2 in there. I would like to have a multitude of algaes to do a multitude of things.

[vinny73]

I am also thinking of adding some xenia too. I have done a multi sump filter for Harold which uses chaeto , xenia, and aptasia! I think it had a total of 3 sumps. I believe socalboo has the setup now. It was originally Kamileks tank.

[DaveMorris]

I think a mixture of macros is best. I have about 8 mangroves and they are getting huge. I also have a bunch of that "other" green macro and it growws very well too. My fuge is a 60g tank. You could get another aquapod and set it up as a fuge. Not sure how you would plumb it, but it would look pretty cool. I would use mud or sugar fine sand in it to keep the critters happy.

[vinny73]

Dave, I wish I had the room! I allready built a solid oak L shaped stand that is 4'x4'x2'. I can fit 2 24g's and a 12g. I can figure out how to plumb anything!!!!!!!!! That is a great idea! I would have to use an overflow and a sump in order to do that! If you have a spare mangrove or a clipping, I would love to swing by and grab it and pick up my lunchbox as well. The stand I built is allmost done. Lisa is working on the stained glass doors. Dave Mitchell inspired me to incorporate stained glass into the stand. We are going to do an ocean scene with bubbles and fish.

So, for not being on the boards for what seems like forever, We have been busy pimping out our nanos!