Just what everybody needs another build thread! I figured I would throw my build to the mix in the event that someone was looking for a different type of refugium setup than the standard norm.
Having been in the hobby for about 12 years and experiencing all sorts of methods of filtration, mostly chemical and some natural, doing a ton of research over the years and planning for my final build, I've decided to build a benthic zone filtration system inspired by the thread on RC here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=969713&highlight=benthic+refugium
So the system will be as follows:
Display tank - 60" x 32" x 22" three sided starphire peninsula style tank with end overflow. The tank is being built by Atlas Tank Works in canada and will feature 5/8" thick glass and a one piece eurobrace. I was against a eurobrace at first, however Tim cuts the eurobrace out of a single sheet of glass so there are no seams and it looks super clean. Here is an example of the eurobrace one piece.
The display tank will divide the living room and dining room with a custom built stand and bookshelves. The display will be plumbed to our carriage house (basically a glorified shed) that is over 75 feet away outside.
Our house is a 105 year old Victorian and my wife mandated no water on the floor from water changes, nasty skimmer cups being walked through the house and cleaned in the kitchen sink and no noise from pumps, skimmers, etc. So the ideal spot was our carriage house where I could experiment with a refugium system, make a mess, and sound and space would not be a factor.
Summed up, I am splitting a standard refugium into three seperate tanks. Here is a diagram of my sump house:
Here is a pic of the sump house:
The first tank will be 75 gallon sump with Royal Exclusiv Alpha 250 for the initial skimming station. All other tanks will gravity feed back into this tank before heading back to the display. The tank water level is only 9" thus allowing for a power outage and all tanks draining back to this one. 9" is also the optimal height for my skimmer. So this tank is maybe 35 gallons of water volume.
Tank two will be a dual zone 75 gallon that will have an upper layer of macro algae and a lower layer for the benthic organisms to grow and thrive. I have some dead rock that I have put in with the macro algae to cultivate and become live rock. I have also incorporated live sand in the bottom layer of the benthic zone. This tank is about 85% full, so about 65 gallons water volume.
Tank three will be the cryptic zone and is a 40 gallon breeder that is painted on all sides and has an acrylic top painted black. The idea is for this is to be in complete darkness and to be a non-photosynthetic zone with no predators. My goal is to cultivate a large pod population so I can add a mandarin down the road or wrasses and have the population to support them well.
Here is a pic of the sump house up and running:
Zone 1 on tank on bottom, zone 2 tank on top, chiller, bubble magnus dosing station
Having been in the hobby for about 12 years and experiencing all sorts of methods of filtration, mostly chemical and some natural, doing a ton of research over the years and planning for my final build, I've decided to build a benthic zone filtration system inspired by the thread on RC here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=969713&highlight=benthic+refugium
So the system will be as follows:
Display tank - 60" x 32" x 22" three sided starphire peninsula style tank with end overflow. The tank is being built by Atlas Tank Works in canada and will feature 5/8" thick glass and a one piece eurobrace. I was against a eurobrace at first, however Tim cuts the eurobrace out of a single sheet of glass so there are no seams and it looks super clean. Here is an example of the eurobrace one piece.
The display tank will divide the living room and dining room with a custom built stand and bookshelves. The display will be plumbed to our carriage house (basically a glorified shed) that is over 75 feet away outside.
Our house is a 105 year old Victorian and my wife mandated no water on the floor from water changes, nasty skimmer cups being walked through the house and cleaned in the kitchen sink and no noise from pumps, skimmers, etc. So the ideal spot was our carriage house where I could experiment with a refugium system, make a mess, and sound and space would not be a factor.
Summed up, I am splitting a standard refugium into three seperate tanks. Here is a diagram of my sump house:
Here is a pic of the sump house:
The first tank will be 75 gallon sump with Royal Exclusiv Alpha 250 for the initial skimming station. All other tanks will gravity feed back into this tank before heading back to the display. The tank water level is only 9" thus allowing for a power outage and all tanks draining back to this one. 9" is also the optimal height for my skimmer. So this tank is maybe 35 gallons of water volume.
Tank two will be a dual zone 75 gallon that will have an upper layer of macro algae and a lower layer for the benthic organisms to grow and thrive. I have some dead rock that I have put in with the macro algae to cultivate and become live rock. I have also incorporated live sand in the bottom layer of the benthic zone. This tank is about 85% full, so about 65 gallons water volume.
Tank three will be the cryptic zone and is a 40 gallon breeder that is painted on all sides and has an acrylic top painted black. The idea is for this is to be in complete darkness and to be a non-photosynthetic zone with no predators. My goal is to cultivate a large pod population so I can add a mandarin down the road or wrasses and have the population to support them well.
Here is a pic of the sump house up and running:
Zone 1 on tank on bottom, zone 2 tank on top, chiller, bubble magnus dosing station
