Turning a biocube 8 into a refugium?

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vsindorf

Member
I have a biocube 29 and next to it I have a biocube 8. They both used to be reefs. The 29 is on it's way back up, but the 8 was empty for quite a while and now is a temporary home for my clownfish while his house gets figured out. I'm wondering how hard it would be to make the 8 into a refugium? I would love to have a pretty "display fuge" of nice macros, live rock, deep sand, etc to help water chemistry, maybe provide some nice microcrustaceans and phyto for coral food, and all in all just look cool. It would be nice to have a joint system instead of trying to maintain two separate nano reefs.

So, the question is, how would this work? Would there be tank drilling involved, because I have to admit that scares the willies out of me. I assume a system of pumps and tubes will have to be figured out...how do I control water level in the tanks? do the pumps continually run both ways (in/out) to keep levels constant or do they work like a top-off type system that pumps in when water level gets low?

I've never messed with fuge stuff, much less major tank modification, so i'll need some wiser reefers who have been around the block and can walk me through it.

any takers? :)
Tori
 
Blue Space

Blue Space

Well-Known Member
Sounds cool to me but it's up to you if ya want to mod the 8 or just go buy a 10 gallon at Wal-Mart.
 
zchauvin

zchauvin

Active Member
Your going way out of the way to get little benefit IMO. A fuge that small won't do anything for your tank. When you get into modding the AIO systems, your talking alot of stuff, there are much cheaper alternatives, and better things to do. It will save you a major headache to just get a 55 or something and then put a 40 breeder underneath it or something. If your just trying to get the added benefit of the DSB and chaeto ect. just forget it. It won't give you any benefit.
 
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vsindorf

Member
Well the issue isn't that I am trying to set up a brand new system or that I really want a big sump. I already have the two biocubes set up next to each other and I wanted a way to link the systems. Also I have a thing for algae and would love to make a seaweed garden that can benefit my reef.

I feel like it shouldn't take more than two pumps and some tubing, right? Is it that complicated a mod?
 
V

vsindorf

Member
That's what I'm asking! What is involved? Having never modified a tank or set up a refugium I have no idea what it entails. I would like some one who has done some modifications and refugium building to give me an idea of what it would take so that I can decide whether I want to do it or not.
 
zchauvin

zchauvin

Active Member
Well, for one your going to have to drill it either way. You will have to drill both of them at that, or use hang on overflows and returns and run the risk of a flood and not being able to sleep at night from the noise. You will have to stack them one atop the other. You will more than likely have to drill the back chambers so you will need to squeeze a very small bulkhead and drill into the chambers... Much much easier to use a tank than something like a biocube. It can be done, but not easily. A 10g tank will cost maybe 20$ at most and will give you much more room to work.
 
zchauvin

zchauvin

Active Member
vsindorf said:
That's what I'm asking! What is involved? Having never modified a tank or set up a refugium I have no idea what it entails. I would like some one who has done some modifications and refugium building to give me an idea of what it would take so that I can decide whether I want to do it or not.
Click to expand...

Also to help you decide, like I said earlier... a refugium that small will do absolutely nothing for your system other than give you more to take care of.
 
ddelozier

ddelozier

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
RS Ambassador
You would be better off going with a 10g tank from pet store for a refugium that small. I also have a 29g biocube. I have a 10g tank under the stand. its a tight fit. Im big on DIY.
refugium is an all incompassing term. There are dozens of ways, and parts that can be in a refugium. My refugiums tend to be simple. Baffel off a place for water to come into the fuge, bubble trap to keep unsightly bubbles out. Heater goes in the section with the water coming in. In the middle, the "refugium" section. this can be done dozens of ways too. Common ways include no sand, 2-3 inch sand, or Deep Sand Bed-5+ inches. For a 10g, i would go 2ish inches of sand. Also in the fuge section is a ball of some type of Micro Algae. Chaeto is a popular choice. This soaks up nitrates, some phosphates, and overall helps clean the water. Chaeto grows quite readily under as little as 6500k Flood light bulb on a clamp light available at any hardware store. At the other end of the tank, leave about 4-5 inches, and put another baffle/bubble trap. Keeps stuff in the middle, and makes sure the refugium section keeps a stable water level. In the last section, a return pump.

Dont let the term "sump or Refugium" Intimidate you. You Do not have to drill holes in your main tank to put in a fuge. Commerial Overflow kits are available. If you wana know how to put in a 10g fuge for less than 150 bucks, i can help. My 29 has a DIY overflow made of PVC and the return from Pump comes back in, via PVC. all 1/2" line. Total project cost me 150, and the pump was 90.
 
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