No drilled tank--is there a safe way to install refugium?

[jmack]

I want to put a refugium in but I don't want a flood..is there a foolproof way to do it?

[reverendmaynard]

Put the 'fuge above the tank level, drill it for an overflow, and then pump from the main tank up to the fuge. Gravity will take care of draining the fuge. Just be careful that the line from the tank up to the fuge cannot create a siphon back to the tank if the pump stops, and the tank can hold the contents of the fuge down to the level the overflow is set at, just like the main tank were a sump and the fuge were a display tank in a more standard setup.

You'll also get the added benefit of any pods that come from the fuge going to the main tank without having to go through a pump.

[Avi]

Well, now...can you tell us if you have a sump underneath the tank...or, space for one?

[delsol650]

HOB FUGES

[jmack]

I don't have a sump or a drilled tank. I do have an open space in the middle of my stand it's about 27"x27"

[ludnix]

you can use a HOB overflow box to siphon water from the tank to the sump and then use a pump to send the water back to the display. Or you can use a HOB refugium.

[zero186]

HOB filter can be turned into one

[Dragon68]

reverendmaynard
sorry to post on someone elses post but do you know of anyone doing this?With the fuge on top.Or even a sump.

[dpearly88]

ebay has hob refugiuims in may different sizes.

[reverendmaynard]

Originally posted by Dragon68
reverendmaynard
sorry to post on someone elses post but do you know of anyone doing this?With the fuge on top.Or even a sump.

Sure. Most of them probably have a sump as well, but I've seen many with the fuge located above, and draining into, the main tank. I'm sorry, I can't give you a specific poster or thread, but it's definitely been done.

It's not going to be as good as having a true sump, because the water level in the display would be variable due to evaporation or other water removal, and if you wanted an auto top off the float switches would be in the display, but it does give you the opportunity to drill a new tank rather than the display that's already setup and not have to worry about the HOT overflow boxes which can lose siphon and cause a flood. A MJ1200 with some flexible tubing should be good enough to act as the "return" pump back up to the fuge.

As for a HOT fuge, I don't think they make them anywhere near large enough for it to be much benefit to 120 gal tank. I'd think you'd want at least 10gals, preferably more, to make it worth the effort.

[digeetech]

If you can't drill and do a fuge/sump combo, just add a float switch on your return pump. Stick the float valve in the display and it will trigger your switch to turn off once a certain water level is reached. But it might not fix your fear of flooding your room

[tangyreefer05]

Well using a overflow and if something happend to cause a flood (maybe power outage or pump dies). The water line would only drop down to the bottom point of the overflow notches, then it can't go anywhere else. So you arn't risking 125g on your floor. Depending on how much water your sump can take till it overflows, it might not be any. Using a float switch on the return pump will prevent it from overfilling the tank too which could only happen if for some reason your overflow siphon stopped which would be pretty hard to do.

[subcrx]

i did the check valve and aqualifter setup on mine, no floods yet and Ive already had a few power outages

[jmack]

Subcrx where do you install the aqualifter pump?

[Vanquishxxxx]

Just use a Hang on Back fuge, and then you will never have to worry about anything

[DouglasTiede]

Originally posted by Dragon68
reverendmaynard
sorry to post on someone elses post but do you know of anyone doing this?With the fuge on top.Or even a sump.

Yep, The main tank flows into a sumpwhere it is skimmed , then it is pumped up into
a fuge, passes through a frag tank and flows out via gravity to
the main tank! Works great!!