Building a refugium

[tbittner]

ahhhh, I understand now, thanks Steve. I think what I'll do then is lay down a coat of the #16 and let it cure for two days and then put on a coat of silicon "just to be sure". The refuge isn't going to be visible to hardly anyone so I'm not to concerned with it's appearance but I DON'T want it to leak. I want it to be as functional as I can possibly make it. Water tight and not collapsing would be huge pluses!

 

[jg2269jg]

The Fuge looks awesome does anyone know how to tell the difference between acrylic and plexiglass

 

[tbittner]

Good question. I realized that Lowes DOES sell Optix Acrylic. At least that is what's on the label thats glued to the plastic covering.

Looking at the label is the only way that I know of. Also, should things like this be built from cast acrylic? Then you wouldn't have any "bowing" issues, would you?

 

[Frankie]

I have a lot of experience bending acrylic after making my overflows. Let me know if you have any questions. I found it to be fun actually.

 

[tbittner]

Please DO explain your method of heating and bending to get a smooth, straight edge. I managed to make (first attempt anyway) a drip pan by heating a strip of steel and laying it on the acrylic where I wanted the edge to be but it's not a square corner, it's rounded. I'm not thrilled with the results.

I'm using 1/4" arcylic.

 

[Frankie]

OK then i will.
Say you want to bend a 6"x3' piece of acrylic along the 3' length. First i would mark the two ends at the point i want to bend it. Then i would clamp it down on something square using say a piece of wood to hold it even to a bench or table with the other half hanging over. then i would take two pieces of wood and clamp them on the piece thats hanging. Remember to clamp the whole length.
After this is all done i would take a heat gun, (cheap at any home depot) and heat up the area i want to bent. Heating it fully is key to a good bend. You will know its ready to bend down by wiggling it. It will seem to be liquid loose. when you get it heated up and it is very wiggly your ready to bend it. Be firm and hold it in place for a few minutes until it is cool enough that it won't pull back. There you have it! if you need to see what i am talking about i can do a picture show for you tonight when i get home. I have some scraps i could play with. It is very easy to do.
Remember to bend it longer then you need. When you bend plastic it will bulge out at the end. You will need to cut both ends after you bend it. It's much better to do that then grind down the displaced material.

 

[tbittner]

I think I see what you are saying but yes, pictures would be very nice and very helpful.

Thanks!

 

[Frankie]

Oh boy, me and my big mouth! or fingers. Ok i will get some together tonight when i get home.

 

[tbittner]

If it's any trouble, then don't worry about it. I really am interested in your method though and pictures would be of great value.

 

[cioutlaw]

tbittner-Ive never done any acrylic work but it looks like your doing a fine job, very creative way of doing it for sure!

Kirblit- Your sump looks really good, if i didnt know better would have thought it was done professionally.

 

[tbittner]

Well, it's a little late now but I was at Lowes last night and they have a Black and Decker Firestorm table saw on sale for $112. I bought one, plus a 200 teeth blade and put it together this morning. I cut out the pieces of acrylic to build my daughters duck a "pond". It really does make a very nice, smooth, straight edge.

The #16 came in yesterday and I ran a bead along every seam of my refugium with it. Tonight I dumped about a gallon into the first compartment, no leaks, but I'm going to let that sit until tomorrow evening, then I'll dump a few gallons into the refugium section and see how that holds. The following evening I'll dump a gallon into the return section. Hopefully everything will hold nice and tight and then on Saturday I'll get everything plumbed up and fire it up for real.

 

[lcstorc]

Sounds like a great plan. I would love to see the duck pond as well. One if my stepdaughters absolutely loves ducks. Maybe you can give me some ideas on how to keep a few for her;

 

[Frankie]

Sorry about the pictures. I have just been slamed at work and to tierd to do anything latley. I am building a new store front for a clothing store. Long hours and hard work. But i see a bigger fish tank in the near future! I hope you were able to figure out how to bend from my instructions.

 

[tbittner]

Hey Frankie. No big deal. I did pick up a heat gun at Lowes and it has a setting for melting plastic and another for welding plastic. I'm anxious to give it a try!

I wasn't happy with the parts I got to accomplish the plumbing of the overflow box to the refugium so I just got back with a much better solution. I have an EShopp overflow box and the darn threaded outlets must be metric because nothing anyone has will screw onto the end. I finally ended up figuring out that a 1" pvc pipe will fit inside it and it has a ridge up inside the outlets so it looks like it's designed to work either way. I have a feeling that it will restrict my water flow a little but I think it will still be more than adaquate. I'm hoping for 1200 gph flow. My overflow box has two outlets in it so I think I'll be ok with that.

 

[tbittner]

Well, I gave it a good solid water test today and it has a slow leak along the back edge of the first compartment. I emptied out that compartment and applied another seam of weld-on #16. If that doesn't take care of it, I'll try welding in a piece of acrylic in the corner which should fuse everything together. I got the overflow box installed and all the plumbing connected for it. Quiet as a mouse!

Side note, where can I buy some chaeto and pods to seed my new refugium?

Thanks!

Terry

 

[BigAl07]

I bought cheato through a member here a RS and bought pods (tigerpods) at the LFS. Here is a link to the exact ones I purchased Tigger-Pods 6 Oz - Live Food / Starter Culture - TGRPDS

But I know you can get Cheato all day long off of Ebay.

 

[tbittner]

I'm also curious as to whether to grow cheato or caulerpa. Which would be better? I'm beginning to think the caulerpa would suit me better because I can trim it and feed it to my tangs. Which works better for removing nitrates?

 

[lcstorc]

Cheato. Caulerpa can turn "sexual" and release the nutrients back into the system. Cheato does not do this.

 

[tbittner]

WOO HOO!!! It's up and working and plumbed completely into the aquarium. It's really amazing how the water in the aquarium got to a certain level and then everything just leveled off and has stayed at that level for the past few hours.

I unplugged the pump and let the aquarium drain to it's low mark, refugium had plenty of room to hold it. I plugged the pump back in and about 15 minutes later, everything leveled off right where I wanted it.

Then I closed the valves and stopped the flow of water from the aquarium into the refugium and let the pump run dry (then unplugged it). Aquarium still had plenty of room and didn't overflow.

WOO HOO!!!

MAN, THIS FEELS GREAT!!!

Next up, installing a float switch to turn the pump off if it runs low on water. Anyone know of a decent one? Thanks!

Also, tomorrow I'm going to pumb in and fire up my chiller. I think I'm going to put the pump in the first compartment that receives the water from the aquarium, let it pump the water through the chiller, and then bring the water back into the refugium and let it act like a circulation pump to "blow" water over the chaeto.

 

[lcstorc]

Glad things are working well.
It is hard to get things balanced so well. Glad you managed to do it.
You might want to put the intake to the chiller after your mechanical filtration and even your skimmer. You want the water as clean as possible going through the chiller.