DIY Refugium in a Penguin 375

[psness]

I've been having trouble controlling nitrates in my 29 gallon tank for a long time. It is fish and invert only and I'd like to get back into corals but need to get nitrates under control. No, my tank is not overstocked and I don't overfeed. I recently started a number of improvements, including adding more live rock, increasing water changes, removing one of the BioWheels from my Penguin 375, adding chaeto in the tank and recently bought a skimmer that I have yet to install. I have been researching DIY refugiums (to relocate the chaeto before my tomato clown completely tears it up) and thought about using one side of my existing Penguin 375. In addition to currently running it with two refillable cartridges (half carbon / half filter padding) in the rear compartments I have a bag of Chemi-Pure Elite, a bag of Purigen, a bag of Seachem PhosNet and a bag of Fluval BioMax. I thought about using the side without the BioWheel as a refugium with Fluval BioMax (or just ditch the BioMax) along with the chaeto plus get a Hygger submersible light. As an alternative, I've also looked into making a refugium from a HOB Fluval breeder box. Opinions?

 

[Reefing102]

The breeder box is an interesting idea, but I know a popular one is using the Aquaclear series of HOB filters. Here’s a thread @Sugar Magnolia started back in the day detailing it -

How to DIY an AC 70 fuge

This will be ongoing as I finish up the project, but here's what I started yesterday. Your first step will be to remove the media basket and cut off the sides. Regular scissors worked fine. I then trimmed the two longer edges of the bottom portion to get rid of the ridge. Not necessary, but I...

forums.reefcentral.com

I wouldn’t use the penguin as I don’t know how much space there is.

 

[psness]

Thanks. I looked a little closer at the Penguin and the space is small, especially considering the need to include a submersible LED strip in it. I'm also considering an in-tank simple isolation box to mount in the rear corner that one side of the Penguin will discharge into. The problem I'm seeing is the rear of the tank may not be long enough for the Penguin, a skimmer and and HOB refugium, which is a problem since I use a glass top and wouldn't be able to mount anything on the side. What is your opinion - which would have greater benefit, a refugium or skimmer? I tested my water last night and the chaeto seems to be helping nitrates, down to 30 when it would typically run 40-60.

 

[Reefing102]

Hmm that would be a tough call. I currently don’t run a skimmer or a fuge.

If I’m recalling correctly, a standard 29 gallon is 36” wide minus the rim (take away an inch or so). The penguin if I’m remembering is about 12”. That should leave roughly 23 inches.

The AC 70 (just using the filter in the link above) is I think around 10 inches so that leaves 13 inches for the skimmer. It may be tight but you may have enough room.

With that said, the internal fuge is a definite thought though that would likely need to be custom made.

Another thought, if you have the space, is possibly setting up a remote fuge (say a 2.5 or 5.5 gallon tank) next to or under the tank. The key would ensuring you have a siphon break so it doesn’t overflow when power goes out.