Refugium Plans for 75 gallon. Please review and comment

[uf-engineer]

I am planning on building a refugium from a 29 gallon tank. Please review my plans and comment.
I have never built a refugium so comment are welcome.

The unit will be constructed out of glass and silicon.

Thank you
MC
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/66613mc3.gif http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/66613mc2.gif http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/66613mc1.gif

[jaiden]

in my non-expert opinion:

raise the baffles in the fuge
ditch the CC and just use sand
be sure to keep the bioballs clean or ditch them
Add some rock
light the fuge opposite of your regular light cycle

[uf-engineer]

Ok. So how deep should the sand bed be and the water be in the refugium?

Also, note that the baffles on either side of the refugium are at the same height but the baffle on the sump side is at a different height. 1" difference to be exact.

[uscgbeachbum]

You may want to plumb the exit of your skimmer to your refugium or have some baffles before it gets to your main pump. There will inherently be SOME microbubbles in the water.

[uf-engineer]

I have a remora pro with a contraption to allow water flow back into my sump without splashing. The pump rests at the bottom of the sump. The skimmer is actually outside the sump. This is the configuration I currently have. I don’t know how I can incorporate this into the refugium. Any comments?

Thank
MC

[redfernsoljah]

I would recommend having it this way to alleviate the problems with the skimmer and the high flow to the refugium.


Refugium-> Return <-Baffles <-Intake


You can make the intake section big enough to house the skimmer I would also make a little area where the intake is to add some live rock to help break up some of the bubble from the drain.


Hope that this helps
Stephen

[uf-engineer]

How do I control the intake to the refugium


intake>refugium>return<baffle<intake/skimmer

or

intake>baffle>refugium>return<baffle<intake/skimmer

Is the baffle needed between the intake and refugium?

[uf-engineer]

I messed that up

intake>refugium>return<baffle<intake/skimmer

intake>baffle>refugium>return<baffle<intake/skimmer

[uf-engineer]

One more time

intake>refugium>return<baffle<intake and skimmer

intake>baffle>refugium>return<baffle<intake and skimmer

[uf-engineer]

intake . refugium . return . baffle . intake skimmer

intake . baffle. refugium . return . baffle . intake skimmer

The . are > or <

[uf-engineer]

Any other comments

[redfernsoljah]

yes they are > or < lol. Look to melevsreef for good sump designs this is the model F that I speak of you control flow by splitting your intake and diverting some of it to the refuge to keep it a low flow area. Look to my post in teh DIY forum for a drawing of the plans that I have come up with.

Normally

Intake>Baffles>Return<Refugium

How you had it drawn
Refugium>Return<Baffles<Intake

Good Luck

[redfernsoljah]

When I get it built you are welcome to come over and take a look at it since you are in jax as well. I am having a heck of a time to get someone to draw it up in CAD then I will have a working blueprint to get the darn thing cut out so I can glue it together..... Shouldnt be more than a month. Heck we could build two of 'em lol. If so we should post on NEFMA and have a sump building day!!!