DIY under tank refugium

[JEN H]

My husband and I just completed the creation of our first under tank refugium. I have to admit that it is not as pretty as the kind you buy for around $300, but it is going to work the same, and we just really want it for the benefits it gives to having a larger tank.

Here is what we did.....

Picked up a clear 24 L storage container from Wal-Mart for around $7

Picked up a 1 3/4 inch bulk head from the Dome (cheap)

One 10 lb bag of miracle mud from the Dome ($60)

One bag of various salt water plants from the Dome (not to pricey)

Smallest Rio pump at the Dome

3 feet of 1/2" hosing ($2.50)

2 buckets we weren't using

2 smaller pieces of live rock from our already established tank

We heated up a tool with the gas stove to melt out the circle from the container for the bulk head to go through. Put the container on top of the two buckets (to support the weight) under the tank right next to the sump. Ensured that the bulk head was over the sump so that the refugium would drain back into the sump. We then used the Rio to pump water up from the sump into the Refugium. We didn't let the water start overflowing into the sump right away so that the soot from the miracle mud would not get into the tank. The next morning, we were ready to start the pump and the refugium is up and running.

We lucked out, because the two live rocks we put into the refugium had some copiopods on it as well as those very small white brittle stars. So, we will now allow them to populate the refugium along with the salt water plants we put in.

Total cost - probably somewhere under $100. YEAH!

[+Capt. Obvious]

Sounds neat....have any pictures?

[renman303]

Sounds great! I did the same sort of thing by buying a "feeding troth" from the local feed store (100 gallon) for $10! You can see my pics on my blog.

Renman