Help please...

[Dakna]

I have been searching the web and RC for the last two hours. I have become completely confused with all the different info, but no simple walkthrough for a fuge plan. I need someone with a little time and patience to walk me through turning my 10g into a next to the tank ( below ) refugium. I have purchased the acrylic for cutting baffles. I need to know how high to make them, how far from each other and the sides of the tank. I need to know how to get the water from the tank to the fuge and back again safely without fear of overflow. If anyone can take a little time to help me I would really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

[JOHNNYHO]

im doing the same thing tonight, making a sump/refugium out of a 20 gal and just want to give you a bump since you have 24 review but no psot replys, im getting no help so far also, hang in there, john

[maxima k2]

Alright, from what I understand you are trying to make a fuge next to you tank. Are the two tanks going to be level at the bottom or at completely different levels? Well I guess it doesn't matter, you need to use some sort of an overflow from the main tank and a return pump to get the water back into the main tank.If it is a glass tank you canbuy a hang on overflow and plumb it from that. If it is acrylic tou can drill a hole in the back of the main tank and use it as an overflow. Either way you need to match your pump to the amount of gph tou want to flow through the fuge. ie your pump determines the amount of water that flows through it, gravity returns the water to your fuge. As for baffles, I don't know what you are trying to achieve with them but, for a bubble trap I would place the last three about an 1" to 1.5" apart. If you need more help LMK and I will send you pics. of mine which Reefmaiden built, it works great.

[Dakna]

10 gallon tank on the floor next to my 55g stand, about 2 1/2 feet below main tank. How is gravity going to take water up to my main tank from the fuge?
Where can I get a decent but inexpensive overflow?
How many baffles should I have? I am using the baffles to partition the tank into three compartments to avoid huge flow.
I want the water to enter and settle them overflow into the main part of the fuge which will house LR and Macro and then overflow into return compartment to avoid macro from being sucked into pump.

What should I use as tubing to/from the fuge? What kind of pump?

[Psychedelic Mandarin]

Dakna, first off, I'm going to assume that you don't have a sump right now. Correct?

Setting up a refugium below the tank is no different than setting up a sump. You need to get water from the main tank down to the fuge. You can either drill the tank or use a C-siphon overflow (I think people like this one, but I can't remember http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html).

The baffles are to maintain a constant water level for the fuge as well as reduce air bubbles back to the tank. Your idea sounds fine except you will need a few baffles to reduce the bubbles before the return pump. For submersible pumps, Mags are pretty good. You want a pretty low flow...so maybe a Mag 2 or 3.

For tubing, that is up to you. You can use rigid PVC, spa flex, or vinyl. Vinyl is the easiest.

Have you checkout out melev's site:

http://www.melevsreef.com

Lots of good info.

[Dakna]

Correct, no sump.

Melev's site helped tremendously.

The only thing I need to know now is how to avoid overflow.

The tube coming down to the fuge needs to have a anti siphon hole? How do I do this?

[serpentine5]

Here is what I just did to my tank last night. Hope it helps.
http://website.ubuilder.com/mikekahle/my_tank.html

[Dakna]

Also, can I use the AGA Silicone to put in my baffles and such? Will the acrylic sheets stay in place when siliconed to the glass of the 10g?

[Dakna]

bump

[serpentine5]

Yes, I neglected to mention that in my page. You can get "aquarium silicone" at your LFS, but I suggest you get it at Home Depot since you will be saving atleast half what you would pay at the LFS. Just put a bead of silicone on both sides of the acrylic where you can reach. The silicone does not stick to the acrylic like glue but it will gold it in place, I used there normal sixed cd cases to support the heighth of the outer baffles, and the middle one was placed on the tank bottom. I sepparated the three dividers by about 3/4 of an inch. Any other questions, just ask. Hope this helps. Have you checked out the DIY area? Lots and lots of great info there.