Converting ATO section to refugium...anyone done it? Icecap 36 sump

[Canuck007]

I have an Icecap 36 sump and would like to covert the ATO reservoir section into a refugium. I think I would tee of the drain to get water into the refugium section and then it overflows back into the skimmer section wiith overflows into the return section. I would need to drill a few holes on the wall that separates the ATO from the skimmer section. Makes sense and will it work? Thanks!

 

[Solo McReefer]

How does one account for the drain getting clogged?

If one has water going into the refugium

and the return drain from the refugium to the sump gets clogged, that's gonna make a mess

Just curious, because I want to put a detached refugium on mine. I don't really, I just don't want to pay retail for an algae reactor

 

[Canuck007]

I was thinking of teeing of the main drain. So one goes to the filter cups/socks and the other goes to the refugium. Mine is Herbie type setup so I still have another emergency drain if anything was to get clogged.

 

[threebuoys]

Do you plan to do evaporation top off manually? That's a real chore I would think.

 

[Canuck007]

I'm rethinking it may be better to tee of the return line back to the refugium. Then it goes from refugium back to the skimmer and back to drain. This may not be as efficient as some of the same water is going back to refugium that just went thru it but atleast I won't have to deal with the main drain line issues when you tee it off. like noise or keeping full siphon.

 

[Canuck007]

Do you plan to do evaporation top off manually? That's a real chore I would think.

No. I have a separte ATO reservoir.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I was thinking of teeing of the main drain. So one goes to the filter cups/socks and the other goes to the refugium. Mine is Herbie type setup so I still have another emergency drain if anything was to get clogged.

I meant where the refugium drains back into the sump

What happens if that drain gets clogged, say with macro algae

All my previous refugiums have been inside the sump, so it was never a problem

What I have seen so far with commercial refugiums(Royal Exclusiv and Advancedacrylics), are long pipes with weirs cut in them

That seems a little hope and pray for my sensibilities