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03-17-2008, 11:31 AM
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#1
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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Cheap DIY 10 gallon Refugium
Does anyone know a cheap easy to assemble way to convert a 10 gallon tank into a refugium? Where i can get the baffles? How big of a return pump do i need? Its for a 55 gallon tank.
Matt
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03-17-2008, 11:34 AM
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#2
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 323
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For baffles, you can go to Lowes and buy a sheet of glass. They will cut it for free, just bring your dimensions. Cost will be $6-8 depending on what glass you get.
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03-17-2008, 11:38 AM
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#3
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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really?? I should use glass? what size glass (thickness) and how exact do my measurements need to be for the baffles?
Thanks
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03-17-2008, 11:41 AM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 323
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Yes, if you have a glass tank. Mainly because it is cheap. The thickness on mine was 1/4". Being that you will be attaching with silicone, you just have to be close to measurement, not exact. Best to be a bit under. I think I did 11 3/4" for my 20L, but probably should have done a bit more with 11 7/8".
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03-17-2008, 11:58 AM
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#5
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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and a 20 gallon long is the exact same measurements as a 10 gallon width wise right???
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03-17-2008, 12:00 PM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 323
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I believe so. 12" main reason I went smaller is because of the silicone on the bottom of the tank (manufacturers). Even at 11 3/4", I was easily able to get a good seal.
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03-17-2008, 12:00 PM
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#7
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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Lastly I have seen a million different layouts for a refugium, and i was wondering what layout you like and or what site has a good plan
Thanks
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03-17-2008, 12:06 PM
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#9
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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Great thanks for all your help! This project doesn't seem so difficult now
I think i'll be at lowes this weekend haha
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03-17-2008, 12:08 PM
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#10
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 323
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Heh, I spent about a month researching and trying to figure out how to do it. Finally I decided to take the plunge and did a great job! Unfortunately it was too big to go under my tank so I had to take everything out and will be using the 20L for a nano. Thinking of trying to make a couple 20H tanks into a multi-section fuge, but haven't got it all drawn out yet..
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03-17-2008, 12:14 PM
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#11
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Gainesville/Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 360
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Just measure the inside width of your tank then delete 1/4" from it in order to leave a 1/8" gap on both sides.
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03-17-2008, 12:15 PM
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#12
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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I want to just do a basic layout to run along side my wet dry. I think I'm going to split the return tube of my wet dry and fill the fuge and then have another pump to then pump the water back into the tank. What would be the best way to attach the 5/8 tube from my wet dry to the new fuge?
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03-17-2008, 12:16 PM
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#13
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This Space For Rent!
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 2,209
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Are you wanting a "sump" or a "refugium". Most fuges don't have baffles that I've seen. I did use a 10G a few years ago for a sump...I used acrylic sheet in a glass tank. Silicone doesn't stick to acrylic all that well, but if you run a bead down each side of the baffle and across the bottom it sticks to the glass and will hold the baffle in place. You can do exactly the same thing with glass of course, it's just sharper and breaks more easily.
FYIW...here is the 10G "fuge" I just added to my system...no baffles or anything...I just pump water in on the left side(from the sump in my case) and then it overflows on the right side back into the sump close to the return pump to the display:
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03-17-2008, 12:19 PM
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#14
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 323
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matt_vasko
I want to just do a basic layout to run along side my wet dry. I think I'm going to split the return tube of my wet dry and fill the fuge and then have another pump to then pump the water back into the tank. What would be the best way to attach the 5/8 tube from my wet dry to the new fuge?
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Be extremely careful doing that. If the pump in the fuge fails, then you will have a mess on your hands. Best to use it as an overflow design case where you drill the side at the height that you want the water level, and gravity feed it back into the w/d.
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03-17-2008, 12:24 PM
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#15
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Big Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Posts: 793
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OHHHH so if i want to make a fuge i really don't have to install baffles. I just have to have a way for the water to get in and out. You need some way to slow the current down though it should be really calm in the fuge right? Also a way to pump the water back into the tank. So I'll need one baffle the calm the water coming in and one to separate the return pump
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