refugium? how-to, mostly

[Riona]

I'm completely unsure why the video is so massively huge.  Sorry about that!

 

I'm thinking about moving my planted tank (**groans**) and doing a 'fuge, since I've got that cute little pencil urchin from my rock who will apparently go rogue and start mowing down anything it crosses over at some point.  I'm wondering if this is a good way to do it?

 

Basically (going by the picture) have my current 20 long with a PVC overflow leading down to section 3 (and no I was not thinking when I labelled that) with chaeto.  Have a tank divider (likely changing out the plastic for craft mesh) with various other algaes in it because I'm a girly girl and think they're pretty.  Maybe a couple sponges, even if they've got to be in the third section to avoid being nibbled on by said urchin?  Past that, another tank divider with the return pump.  Doubt I need too much flow, since I only have two fish in the tank so far and can't figure out what else I'd like to put in it (though especially if I go coral-heavy will need to eventually get more fish or dose something to keep everything happy.)  

 

Questions, though.  Has anyone tried this sort of overflow?  Are they safe?  I've had an eshops/cpr type HOB overflow (I am not going to try to drill my tank.) and I could NOT get it quiet.  It was louder than I could stand being in my room, so I doubt that'd be the way to go.  Though I will say that if anyone has ideas to get the store-bought HOB type quiet I'd probably feel safer with one of them.  Nothing against Joey's talent, but more against my own.  Will probably just use whatever size soft tubing I can get so I don't need to worry about elbows. 

 

Regarding the overflow, I've read today that they're supposed to work as a drain, not a siphon, so if the return pump is "too big" it'll eventually cover the entire top of the drain, make it act somewhat like a siphon, and when that catches up to what's in the tank, it'll make the noise.  I've also heard that it's that it's not draining quickly enough/air is going through it, though, so I'm not sure what to think on that.  Since this is something I've had issues finding, is it possible for a return pump to be too small?  I know too big is a problem if it sucks the fuge dry, but if my overflow was rated, say for 500 gph, and I got a return pump that'd move 100 gph back into the main tank, would that do funny things to the siphon?  If it was drilled, it wouldn't since the water would just trickle over however quickly it ended up back in the tank, but with a HOB sort, would it do funny things?

 

Lastly, I really need an ATO.  Really need one.  I work away from home 3 days a week (part of my trouble finding fish.  Anyone know if you can find some sort of free-swimming pod to culture to feed something that wants fed multiple times a day, but doesn't stick to the rocks?)   I could put the ATO into the fuge, right?  Any recommendations on a good one that isn't ridiculously expensive?