Sump/Refugium for Aquapod 12g.. Ideas please!

[Just195]

I am planning on adding a 10 gallon sump/refugium to my aquapod during the summer and would like to start organizing some ideas. I plan on leaving the hood on the aquapod so I know I will need to cut a portion of it off of the back. I have a lot of questions concerning this project so any help would be greatly appreciated. I tried posting this in several other threads in different sections of RC but recieved no response. I have followed many threads in the FMAS section and you all seem very helpful to each other.

First, I am trying to determine what the best method would be to have the in and out lines in the back chambers. Would it be best just to run some braided flex hose to and from the tank below with just a siphon? Or have an overflow weir coming from a chamber? With that, do they make overflows that would fit within a chamber (not wide approx. 4 inches)? Also, what size tubing do i need (is it different between the away and toward line)?

Depending on which method to take the the water from the chamber, how would I implement some kind of safety system to prevent the sump from flooding in a case of power loss. Would it be as simple as just putting a hole in the hose just below the water level so it would cut the siphon when the water level went down?

Lastly for now, what size/kind of pump would I need for a the return line? I understand it is dependent upon the distance it needs to travel up to the main tank, but I also think I need to counter any decrease in water level in the chambers to prevent the siphon from breaking. And of course some safety system for the siphon breaking with the pump still on (auto-top off would only last so long).

Sorry for the lengthy post. Again, any help is appreciated. I go to UM and I am just finishing the semester down here, but I hope to be involved with FMAS when I'm back in August.

 

[coralfragger101]

I'm not familiar with the aquapod, I've always had bigger tanks. But the principals would certainly be the same. I happen to have a 10 gal fuge that I'm parting with. I could hook that up with a Mag 5 pump. Your only problem is getting water from the pod to the fuge. I don't know if they make overflow boxes small enough to fit inside. You may very well have to cut weir in the back and make an external overflow box. You talk about a siphon and not wanting to lose the siphon. ???? This isn't what you want to do. If you are actually siphoning water out then you would have to have a pump that would match the rate exactly and that would be impossible. What you want to do is simply pump water into your pod and have the water overflow back into the fuge. This way it will always match. What goes in has to come out.

A mag 5 would run you about $50. I'll give you the mag 5 and the 10 gal fuge (complete with mud and life if you buy it quick) for the $50.

 

[ReefWreak]

Weir/overflow is always your best bet. If not, depending on how long your tank has been set up, you might want to see if you could get the back glass drilled as an overflow too. It's really hard to get a sump setup going in those dern cubes.

I don't know about yours, but on the NanoCube, you can peel off the vinyl backing and stick a light back there and put cheato into the back to grow. Many people have been successful turning it into a fuge. I peeled the back, but never got a light... I just have a big ball o' cheato in my display.

 

[Just195]

coralfragger, i sent you a pm