Refugium questions

[cm6755]

I have a 30gal SW Reef setup with a Emperor 280, Red Sea Protein Skimmer, 35ish lbs of live rock, DSB (3-4 inches) with some crushed coral I didn't remove to keep the bacteria when I switched, Maxi-Jet 900 power head moving 230GPH as my team of filtration. I have been entertaining the thought of having a refugium (I have 2 extra 10 gallon tanks lying around here). I do NOT want to mess up a good thing here with the filtration though. I am pleased with the results I have been getting with the current filtration method (except for all of the darn Bubble algae {that's another post though}); however I would like a place to grow copods, live algae, brine shrimp, etc. My questions are:
If I intend to setup a 'new 10 gallon tank' for these critters, etc. should I just make it a refugium for the 30 gal?
If I do create this refugium for the 30gal, how do I do it and do I keep the same filtration?UGH....I don't know what to do!!! Could you please express your views on this dilemma?
THank you very much,
CM

 

[Fishieness]

i would absolutly set it up in line your actual tank instead of a seperate tank. this will add more water volume to yoru system, deiluting nutrients, as well as all the nutrients that the macro uses to grow will be removed form your sytem (this will also grealty reduce your buble algae because they will compete with eachother for nutrients).
if you can drain your tank and drill it that owuld be ideal, but if not, get a HOB overflow and then a return pump. set up some baffles, and you are done. (i'm not sure how much you know on the subject so i basicly generalized everything, but if you are confused about the actual set up process and how you would go about doing it, you can ask ehre or pm me and i will go into further detail)

 

[cm6755]

how, how, how...I am overwhelmed.

Obviously I am 'one' of those people who started this 'project' not knowing how involved it was...I knew it would be time/money consuming, I just had no idea regarding the VAST amount of knowledge one must posses to become sucessful at this challenge!!!
If anyone could either walk me through EXACTLY what I would need to do to setup this fuge on the tank (in dummy terms) I would GREATLY appreciate it!!! I have searched some forums on this site as well as other related sites for the setup and have only found schematics that confuse me...if anyone knows of an explanation for 'dummies' please let me know!!! My goal is to make the 10gal a fuge for the 30gal. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:help: :help: :help: :huh: :duh: :hang:

 

[fsn77]

Personally, it's a lot of hassle and expense to put only a 10g refugium below your 30g main tank, since a 10g is pretty space limited once baffles and a return pump are installed. To get your main tank drilled, places charge around $25 per hole and most do not guarantee they won't break your tank. You could drill it yourself, but I wouldn't recommend drilling an active tank to someone that's never drilled a tank before. The alternative to drilling, an overflow box, will run $100+ new. Then you'll have to buy an appropriately sized return pump, which will run another $50+ new. If your situation allows for it, perhaps you should consider an above the tank refugium. Some of these articles / threads may help:
http://www.reefland.com/rho/0305/add3.php
http://www.thesea.org/reef_aquarium/DIY/maintenance/maintenance_refugium_abovetank.php
http://www.aquariumpros.ca/forums/showthread.php?threadid=24670
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/aquariumdiy/a/aa041400.htm
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/bl_diyacrylicrefugium.htm

Or a hang on tank refugium:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

Or modifying a hang on the back filter into a refugium:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hagenrefugart.htm
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=601201&highlight=DIY+AC
http://www.saltcreep.com/forums/showthread.php?t=675

 

[cm6755]

Thank you sooooo very much for all of the wonderful information and taking the time to provide links as well. I LOVE this forum! I just wish I had discovered it before setting up this monster I love so much!!! Best of luck to everyone and thank you.