au01st

So I just picked up a used HOB refugium, 24"x13"x4" on eBay and it doesn't include the pump, light, or anything.

I want to locate the pump inside the refugium, not in the tank. I was thinking if I put the pump at the bottom of the inlet side and make sure the water level in the fuge stays a little above the tank level, I can have a syphon draw water back into the tank. I was just going to have the inlet to the tank covered with a strainer and the outlet open.

I'd like to grow copepods so I was thinking I could get a maxi-jet and some 1/2" tubing for the inlet and turn it down with a ball valve so whatever the size of the fuge (in gallons) I can turn it over 4-5x per hour, then open the ball valve wide open for a few seconds every night to flush some pods into the tank. However, if for some reason the overflow idea doesn't work like I'm thinking it will, I'll just put the maxi-jet on the return side, use a siphon to draw the water into the fuge, and leave the maxi-jet wide open and grow chaeto.

I noticed it also has a spot for a light, so I'll have to figure that out when it gets here. I'm planning to run the light on a reverse 12hr cycle, although my pH is already super stable b/c of my high alkalinity, so it's not a huge concern. This is mostly for the pods since I'd like to get a Mandarin Dragonet in the future.

I also am going to paint the tank-facing side of the fuge and the return pipes (they're PVC and I may redo them depending on what shape they're in when the fuge gets here) so will Krylon Fusion be reef safe?

Thanks all!

nemo addict

i have looked over this post several times and reallt cant work out what you are trying to do ? all i can work out is you are trying to supply and return the water with a pump and a syphone and if this is the case it will not work as a fuge needs to have a slow flow through it ,, all you need is a 360 pump and it will return by gravity so you dont need a pump and a syphone as the flow will be to slow for a syphone and will keep stopping ,,, i really cant work out what you are trying to do

au01st

Ok, on the inlet side at the bottom of the fuge, I would have the maxi-jet sucking water in from the tank, with the flow slowed by a ball valve. On the outlet side, I would have a siphon returning water to the display tank. As long as the water in the fuge is above the water in the display tank, I don't see a problem, and as long as the tube for the return siphon is below the display tank's level, if for some reason the water stops flowing, the siphon will not break, but won't draw in any more water, same way the overflow box works.

And because the fuge hangs on the pvc parts, it ensures that the fuge water level will always be a little bit above the tank's level.

The main thing I'm trying to avoid here is having yet another piece of equipment in the display tank, which is why I want the pump in the fuge, not in the tank.

caseyholland

I have built a few sump systems. I always have it work similar to an overflow, there are kits that have the little box and pump designed to flow at the same rate.Of course if you dont want the box hanging on the tank you coul run a syphon into the sump.I have it overflow down a hose to the sump, flow through the baffles, through the sand and plants, then to the pump side for the return. I would not reccomend having the pump supply the sump, in my opinion the pump should always be on the return side, the pump could push the water too hard through the sump which might not give the filter time to keep it clean, or cause it to overflow on the intake side.

nemo addict

from your diagram i really wouldnt trust it not to cause a overflow from fuge if you do get air in syphone you will end up with your tank in your fuge and as thats not possible so theres only one other place for it to go the floor you could always hang on the back of the tank and let it feeed back by gravity and put the pump in the sump to feed the fuge if you dont want in the display i know wot you mean as mine looks gastly at the moment as i had to extend the outlet over my temporary lights as you can see in pic but when the other satnd is sorted out then i wont have to do that as i have a hailide there isnt alot on show with the pipe removed just the light and a bit of plastic

au01st

I understand that, and it makes sense for sumps, but this is a "hang on back" refugium. The siphon will not put water back into the tank any faster than the pump pulls it into the fuge. It does not matter the speed of the pump, as long as there is a constant suction and both ends are under water, it will only siphon water til the levels in both tanks are the same (which is why the wall on the return area is so high).

The fuge will already be slightly elevated above the tank, and I'm confident that 1/2" pvc can handle the flow of 15-20gph, since my 3/4" drain to the sump is flowing almost 400gph with no problems. Having the pump supply the return side works fine when the fuge is below the tank, but the siphon won't work against gravity when the fuge is slightly above the tank, which is one reason for the siphon to be on the return side.

I also did not want to have the possibility that the impeller in the pump kills the copepods/amphipods, which is the whole reason for the fuge.

I thought about tapping both of the tubes (inlet/outlet) and using air tube to go to the venturi on the maxi-jet, so if for some reason the siphon is broken, or there are minute air bubbles, the venturi will pull them into the stream and keep the siphon. I haven't had to fix the siphon in my overflow box on the display tank since I set it up, and that's been a while now.

Edit: but theoretically, if the pipes were deep enough, say each 6" below the surface level of the display tank, there should never be a break in the siphon. I've not had problems with my HOB overflow box since I set it up

au01st

Well, guess it was too good to be true. I received the invoice today...$23.50 for the item I won, and $110.00 for s/h from Canada, for a total of $133.50 (US dollars). I reported to eBay and contacted the buyer and notified him that I do not wish to do business with him.

2 reasons for this: he is over inflating the s/h charges to make up for what he thought the fuge should have gone for at auction, in which case he is greedy and/or dishonest. OR his account was hacked and someone just wants to see if I'm gullible and rake in some quick cash.

Better safe than sorry, IMO, but either way, I'm not sending him money, even if he lowers the shipping (happened before and there's nothing to stop him from keeping the item and the money out of spite). Guess I'll have to keep my eye out again...

caseyholland

Thats too bad. I have built a couple pretty good ones for pretty cheap. You can get an old tank and some plexiglass for pretty cheap, the only real expense is the pump and they are pretty simple to buid. For $170, like hes going to want, you could build a very nice sump system.

au01st

I already have a sump with all filtering equipment, I want something on the back of the tank to grow copepods.

Since you've made a few, you interested in being commissioned for one? I can draw up some plans and you can give me a price quote. With the way it's looking, I don't want to spend the $$$ for a pre-made one, but every deal is "too good to be true".

Size would be 24" Long x 5" Wide x 14" tall. It would need some way to hang on the tank, as well as a hole on one side for an inlet from the sump and a hole on the other side for the outlet.

Like I said, I could draw something up and e-mail it to you.

nemo addict

have you heard of rock piling ? to culture pods