Custom Refugium on my 28 Gallon Nano Cube HQI

[Jigga]

I’ve been wanting to add a refugium to my 28 gallon nano cube for a long time. A lot of people would probably ask why would you add a refugium to an all in one? The answer is simple, I like the doing mods in this hobby just as much as I like reef keeping. I know I am not alone on that.

 

The refugium is a 13 gallon (total, designed to run at 10 gallons) 4 chamber tank.

 

Chamber one is where the water enters and gets skimmed

Chamber two and three will house EcoSystem miracle mud and Some type of plant life. I haven’t decided what type I’m going to go with. Suggestions are welcome. These two chambers have to be separate to make sure the water flows from the back all the way to the front and then to the back again… Did you follow that??

Chamber four is for filter floss and the return pump.

 

Here are some pics:

 

Just added water

I had to modify the stand a bit to get the skimmer to fit

The plumbing. I had to drill two holes in the back of the tank

Set up

I went with a coralife mini light. I recessed it into the old shelf. There is also a piece of acrylic screwed to the bottom of the shelf that works as a lid.

Side view with Coralife Super Skimmer 65

Fuge with EcoSystem mud added. I haven’t turned on the valves to start cycling the water through the fuge. I am a little worried it could cause my tank to cycle again. I am going to give it a week, testing the water nightly. If I don’t see any spikes I’ll turn on the valves. Rigt now the return pump is pumping water from chamber 4 to chamber 1 to keep flow in the fuge.

 

I’ll get some pics of the main tank tonight to have some good before and after shots. I hope I will see some good results with the addition of the fuge.

[FillyGT]

I have this tank too! I've been reading here and there about ways to add a refugium to the NC28. I think you did a great job incorporating it into the stock stand. I'll be following along to see how everything goes.

[Jigga]

I have this tank too! I've been reading here and there about ways to add a refugium to the NC28. I think you did a great job incorporating it into the stock stand. I'll be following along to see how everything goes.

 

Thanks, I put a lot of thought and planning into it. I think it turned out better then I thought it would. Before I drilled two holes into the back of the tank (very scary) I wanted to be confident it would work.

[mpatzer]

wow - thats a realy cool looking refugium! did you build it yourself? i also have the 28 gal hqi and id love to do something like that. AIO are great but i think its better if you can add a refugium for all of the added benifits im sure you already understand. nice work.

[Jigga]

wow - thats a realy cool looking refugium! did you build it yourself? i also have the 28 gal hqi and id love to do something like that. AIO are great but i think its better if you can add a refugium for all of the added benifits im sure you already understand. nice work.

 

Thanks, yes i built it myself. I bougt the acylic from a local dealer and everything else from home depot. I had a bunch of pics on a thumb drive showing the building process that I wanted to post. Unfortunitly I lost the thumb drive and deleted the pictures from my camera. These were all I had left on my camera.

 

I can't wait to get it running to the main tank. Everything is ready to go, I just have to turn the valves on. I have some pics of the main tank I'm going to post tomorrow. Hopefully in a fw months i'll have sme good before and after pics showing a lot of growth and color!

[The Saltwater Kid]

That's an awesome looking fuge man! I would like to do something like that for my Biocube 29. I would mention though that I'd watch that skimmer like a hawk, those Coralife Super Skimmers have a bad reputation for overflowing and soaking the floor with water...from what I've heard they are extremely touchy when it comes to water level and need constant adjusting to make them run right. If I were you I'd try and find some way to put the skimmer inside the refugium where it wouldn't matter if it overflowed or sell that one and get a small in-tank Tunze like the 9002 or 9005 model that would easily fit inside one of the chambers in your fuge. Good luck and Happy Reefing!!!

[Jigga]

That's an awesome looking fuge man! I would like to do something like that for my Biocube 29. I would mention though that I'd watch that skimmer like a hawk, those Coralife Super Skimmers have a bad reputation for overflowing and soaking the floor with water...from what I've heard they are extremely touchy when it comes to water level and need constant adjusting to make them run right. If I were you I'd try and find some way to put the skimmer inside the refugium where it wouldn't matter if it overflowed or sell that one and get a small in-tank Tunze like the 9002 or 9005 model that would easily fit inside one of the chambers in your fuge. Good luck and Happy Reefing!!!

 

If you look close at the picture of the skimmer behind the tank you'll see a little white thing on the cap. It's a float sensor that will shut the pump off if the water level inside the collection cup reaches it.

 

I read a lot of negative things about the super skimmer, mainly overflowing issues so I put the shut off sensor on it. I've had it running for three months and the water level has never reached the float sensor. Overall I think It does a really good job. At this point the float sensor is just for piece of mind!

[peaglesrx]

this is fantastic! Keep up the good work!

[Method1]

Where can I read up on the purpose/benefits of a refufium. I'd ask for an explanation, but rather than the smart a$$ed answer of ""It's called a search engine, use it", if someone could just point me in the right direction or give me a brief description of the benefits of one, I'd appreciate it.

 

I am thinking about ordering that 28 HQI setup from nanocustoms. I know I prob don't need a refugium, but if the benefits are that much greater, than I might go the extra mile.

 

Your's looks great, my man. Where did you get that 4-chamber refugium? You build that?

 

Regardless. Very nice work.

 

Im wondering if I can just order a nice piece of furniture that I can trick out as a stand rather than getting the same old generic looking stands and having to convert/mod them.

[A!ex]

nice fitting...can you put the frotn of the stand back to not reveal the REFUGE ? like a falso panel ?

[Jigga]

One of my favorite sites to do research on is www.wetwebmedia.com. There is a ton of information on there.

 

Currently there is not a cover on the fuge. When I was designing it I was thinking about recessing it in about ¼ inch so I could put a cover on it. I decided not to do it and now wish I did. I leave the light on 24/7 so at night it’s pretty bright. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

 

I got some macro algae this weekend, and some nice new frags!!! I’ll post some more pictures tomorrow.

[Jigga]

The fuge has been running for almost a week and things are still looking good. I traded my toadstool for some staghorn and monti caps. I’m not very happy with the color of the staghorn. It was supposed to be purple, it looks brown to me. Hopefully it will color up after it is fully acclimated to my tank.

 

Here are some pics of my tank. I’ll try to update them every few weeks to see the benifis of the fuge and miracle mud.

 

Fuge with macro algae

Full tank and stand shot

Front with picture of the new staghorn and elkhorn

Some other shots of my corals

My skimmer has been working overtime since the fuge went in

 

I’ll have another update in a few weeks.

[Jigga]

Here's an update of my tank. The refugium has worked great. It's a big reason for all of the growth.

 

[macclellan]

Sexy 'Fuge!

[Muggz]

Jigga,

What did you use to bond the joints in the fuge? They look so clean!

[xenon]

Very nice! I wish nanocube/biocubes were drilled on the bottom for sumps. That is the only thing I miss from my old setup.

 

I would love to setup a fuge but my 2nd chamber has a skimmer in it. I can drill the back glass because I prefer my tank to be tight against the wall.

[Jigga]

thanks for the cudos everyone.

 

I used the standard weldon to bond all of the joints in the fuge. I picked it up at the same place I got the acrylic.

[hxcaquaman]

amazing set up... Super Jealous

[aquatist23]

Hey Man,

 

That is an awesome job you did. I have the same tank and want to make a refugium for it. Where did you get that one at. I would really appreciate it if you would let me know.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Tim

[ctniners]

I hope you still subscribe to this thread.......I am really looking to do a sump or refugium....you are the best example out of everybody in the net...especially because you did it to the NC 28 Gal JBJ.

 

I have some questions:

 

1. do you have two pumps in the refuge?...one pulling water and pushing back up?

 

2. did you make any type of overflow device?

 

3. what kind of pumps (name, model) are you using?

 

4. did the extra pumps and light create more heat in the main tank?

 

Thanks for your help!

[clownfish14]

I hope you still subscribe to this thread.......I am really looking to do a sump or refugium....you are the best example out of everybody in the net...especially because you did it to the NC 28 Gal JBJ.

 

I have some questions:

 

1. do you have two pumps in the refuge?...one pulling water and pushing back up?

 

2. did you make any type of overflow device?

 

3. what kind of pumps (name, model) are you using?

 

4. did the extra pumps and light create more heat in the main tank?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

wow nice fuge how it doing

 

ps will you please answer these questions i would like to know to

[PIPS]

I don't own a nc but got to give you a high five. Good job !!!

[cheryl jordan]

WOW! Nice job and boy that's a big skimmer you have on there, it makes my Tunze 9002 look like...

[clownfish14]

we want an update hows it doing?