AC 110 refugium build with extra features.

[c_k_kuehne]

I am slowly building a nano setup and had an old AC 500 (now called AC 110) laying around so I decided to make a refugium with a few extra features. This refugiuim build has a removable media chamber, a water drain valve for easy water changes, and a low flow area at the bottom of the macro algae chamber for "mud" or sand bed if so desired.

 

Here is the build process.

 

Moved the side panel over to new position and cut the bottom. This made a small removable media basket and the macro algae screen. Not sure if the newer AC 110's have the movable media basket sides like the old AC 500 did but if not I am sure you could figure out a way to cut and move the side panel over.

 

 

 

I cut 2 1/2" from a standard AC 110 sponge filter. This made a nice small sponge filter for the top area of the custom media basket. Note the sponge DOES NOT cover the media basket side holes. This allows for good pass through flow to the macro algae chamber while some of the water still goes up and through the sponge.

 

 

 

I put the media basket in the AC 110 next to the pump chamber and then made a divider template out of cardboard. The walls of the AC 110 are angled slightly outward so it was easiest to make a template and then use the template to cut the plastic divider. Note the height of the template DOES NOT cover the media basket side holes.

 

 

 

I cut a plastic divider using the template. I had an old cheapie HOB that I cutup to use for the divider. Any stiff aquarium safe plastic or acrylic would work.

 

 

 

I glued the divider in place along with the macro algae screen. I also cut a small strip of the macro algae screen and glued it to the back wall to help hold the media basket in place.

 

This configuration makes 3 chambers. The pump chamber, removable media basket chamber, and a decent size macro algae chamber that has a low flow bottom area for "mud"/sand if so desired.

 

 

 

Position of macro algae screen. Note I purposely DID NOT position it all the way at the top. That way if the screen ever clogs the water will flow over the top with no chance of flooding the floor.

 

 

 

I used a 3/8" OD x 1/4" MIP plastic water line elbow. I ground off the threads and cut the thread area shorter (picture shows elbow thread area before cutting shorter).

 

 

 

Valve assembly consists of ground and cut elbow -> 3/8" OD water line -> 3/8" OD valve -> 3/8" OD water line.

 

I drilled an appropriate sized hold near the bottom of the media chamber and installed 2 zip tie holders at the appropriate spots. The zip tie holders will hold the valve in place so that the glued in elbow does not get any strain when opening and closing the valve.

 

I had to notch the bottom plate of the media basket slightly so it would clear the nub of the elbow sticking into the media chamber.

 

 

 

I glued the valve assembly in place and zip tied it to the AC 110.

 

This is the initial water test. You can see the 3 chambers and the valve assembly with drain hose attached.

 

You can turn off the pump and open the valve to drain some water from the tank for easy and quick water changes. On a standard 10 gallon aquarium you can drain about 3 gallons of water out before loosing the AC 110 intake siphon.

 

 

 

The media chamber still has bottom to top flow so any chemical filtration bags located in the bottom of the media basket should have good flow trough. With a removable media basket rinsing out the sponge or changing chemical filtration media is a quick and easy process.

 

The valve assembly parts were bought at Lowes for under $15. I figure a small price to pay for making water changes simpler and not having to suck start a siphon hose every time.

[myjohnson]

Clean mod!

 

You can hook things up to a timer and do automatic water changes if you wanted to.

[WI Reefer]

wow man very sweet DIY by far the best AC Mod i have ever seen

 

A+

 

Sticky or put in the DIY Thread sticky thing

[c_k_kuehne]

Thank you WI

 

Will have to add it to the DIY thread.

 

I did this for a contest but they changed the contest around to have an equipment budget and since I was going LED I no longer could enter the contest. Since I'm not entering the contest I changed the setup I'm building to have a full sump and a display refugium.

 

Going to let my 10 year old son put it on a spare Minibow 7 I have laying around so he can have his own tank and stock it the way he wants while I do my build.