DIY Acrylic Refugium questions.

[jtown]

I'm thinking about making an acrylic refugium for my 10G via a pump from the main tank and a gravity feed back to the tank.  What should I consider when I place the pump lines in the ref.?  I don't want there to be a trickling noise, but I think if I keep the input line lower than the output line and the pump turns off, I will have to be careful with water syphoning back to the main tank.

 

Is this basically all I have to worry about?

[flaunt]

I ran in to some of these issues while building my surge device.  As long as you keep the input higher than the waterline in the refugium, you shouldn't have to worry about water siphoning back in to the aquarium.  You will want to watch your water line in the refugium, though because if the power goes out any water above the output will get drained into the tank and the corresponding amount will no longer be pumped out.  This may or may not be an issue depending on how fast you have the water pumping in and how large a diameter output you have.  Hmmm now that I think about that you might have some noise problem with the output gurgling a bit if the water level stays right at-just below the top of the output opening.  The remedy for this would be pumping the water in slightly faster than the output can carry it out.  You'll probably have to experiment  Good luck.

[jtown]

you're right about the gurgling bit.  To solve the problem of noise from the input, I was going to take the syphoning factor into effect when I do water changes and top offs.  Let me draw a picture ....

 

 

the difference in water level of the input and output would be what I would need to take into account in my main tank.

[Cam barr]

hey im tryin to setup a 7.5 atlantica w/ refugum built on back what type of mud or sand should i use  thanks for the help

[flaunt]

Yeah you could do it that way and take into account all the water above the bottom of the input, because all of that will end up back in the tank...  If it were me though I would put the input higher than the output.  Unless you've got the input splashing right on top of some rocks or something hard, or have it right at the waterline shooting across and making ripples, or have an extremely shallow refugium tank, it isn't going to make noise.  I'm assuming none of these will be the case.  In my surge device (a different thread on DIY) I've got my water input about 6 inches above the water level when the container starts filling up for a surge...  That's a good height above water level and the splashing sound is minimal and goes away completely after the waterline rises about 1".  It would be better to not have to keep the lower waterline in your main tank, especially since it is 10g.  

[flaunt]

Cam, I just have a 1g refugium on my 10g, but I used about 5-10 lbs of aragamax (a Caribsea product).  The grain size is very small, I think they call it "sugar sized" but it's something like average grain size < 0.5mm.  

 

(Edited by flaunt at 1:53 pm on Mar. 24, 2002)

[jtown]

ic what you're saying .... along the water line won't make more noise than above it.  I think I will make the input and output level.  This tank is going to be be high and not really too big.  I don't want to have to put it on a stand so it's going to be higher than my 10.

 

(Edited by jtown at 2:17 pm on Mar. 24, 2002)

[flaunt]

actually i was thinking that having the water input right at the waterline might create some noise because of the ripple of the water surface... it wouldn't be much noise but might be something like a powerhead when it's almost at the water's surface.  what i really wanted to say was that if your water input is a little bit above the waterline i don't think you'll notice any noise unless you're right up on it trying to hear it...

[jtown]

ya .... that's true.

 

it will depend on the flow rate and the size of the tubing.

 

I'm stilll in the thinking process so it's all gravy.  I won't have time to actually implement anything for another week or so.  spring break!

[flaunt]

heh that's kind of funny because i spent my spring break working on my surge device

[Cam barr]

thanks flaunt thanks for the help im also going to put Lr and some calurpa in there too thanks for the help

[tlyee63]

if ou drill a hole in the input/outputs just below your lowest water line in the tank ie,just below that max that your sump can handle brfore it overflows this would break the vaccum ans stop the flow of water

[flaunt]

on a side note, anybody know a good place online to order some live sand that comes seeded with bristleworms and other critters?  i've found several places that claim to sell it, but so far i haven't actually been able to order it from anyone...

[Kapelakin]

Have you tried IPSF?  (www.ipsf.com)  I think they sell something like that.

[jtown]

what size piping do you guys think I should use to run water between the two?

[flaunt]

hmm i guess that partially depends upon the size of the refugium.  how much water will it hold?  were you planning to use flexible tubing to run the water to the refugium?

[jtown]

ya flexible tubing connected to pvc pipes in the acrylic and the main tank.

 

just wondering what size pvc pipe would work best.

 

(Edited by jtown at 9:41 pm on Mar. 31, 2002)

[flaunt]

well since you probably aren't going to have water going in and out real fast i'd use something around 1/2" flexible tubing to the refugium and 1/2" or larger PVC back to the aquarium.