Tell me how to build my own refugium???

[mmn_usn]

So if a fuge were to be put in a small tank... say 10 gal total volume... would it work?

[Geoff]

why would you want to? fuges are nothing more than a glorified settling tank. they are also much more difficult to clean than a settling tank. if you do decide to do a fuge, be prepared to complete clean it out and start it over on a yearly basis as a normal maintenance item.

G~

[Doug1]

Geoff, wouldn't it work better if the outflow was up high and the inflow slightly below that so that their is very little turbulence in the lower area, so as to encourage heavier materiel to settle out?

[rydtime]

I see a DIY on settling tanks coming soon!

[Geoff]

Absolutely Doug!!

that would really help it work efficiently.

G~

[tabwyo]

Any piece of equipment, either mechanical or biological can be miss used and neglected. Like a... um... DSB for example. People set them up and forget about them until they crash. Refugiums aren't settling tanks. Settling tanks are settling tanks. If you let crap sit and rott anywhere it'll be a problem. The sad trend is people letting crap sit in thier refugiums to rott.

[mcarver]

I have to kick in here on the fuge idea. I believe it is beneficial in a reef system. I am new to this hobby but see that the fuge is pulling pho out of the loop. I agree that they need cleaned regularly as they do act as a settling tank, I vacume mine out every waterchange using a MJ600 and a hose, do the same in the main tank.
Moreso IMO even if the fuge system was not benificial to the overall reef. I enjoy the life in there almost as much as the tank. Every day i look in the fuge i find a new creature to watch and study.
At this time i am doubling the size of my fuge and adding a larger skimmer. Larger fuge is more for my viewing pleasure, that and a requirement to hold the larger skimmer lol.

[mcarver]

I am building mine out of a 55 gal tank. Baffles look like this.