Is this hob refugium too big for my tank? Please help.

[Leon Gorani]

I really need help figuring this out so if you know anyone who might know please refer them to this thread, thanks.
I have a regular 29 gallon tank I bought from Petco. So the glass is not that thick but it’s thick enough.

I bought the CPR aquatics hang on the back refugium and it is very large, I bought the medium size one thinking it wouldn’t be this big, but it is huge when I put it I front of the tank for comparison.

here the one I bought:

here the one I bought:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/medi...um-with-led-ligthing-system-cpr-aquatics.html

*****my concern is this: Will this be too heavy for my petco 29 gallon tank? Since it will be filled with so much water, will it be risky to hang it on my type of tank? Will the tank glass break from the weight? ****

Do you think my tank will hold it just fine? Or will there be problems in the future? Or should I return it and get a smaller one? I plan on putting some refugium sand and rubble rock inside it.

please let me know your thoughts. Thank you! I appreciate the help. Here are some pics of it and my tank for reference.

 

[Leon Gorani]

here’s another pic of them next to each other.

 

[MTBake]

That is pretty big. Not sure I've ever hung that much weight on the back of an aquarium before. How many gallons does that hold?

 

[Leon Gorani]

That is pretty big. Not sure I've ever hung that much weight on the back of an aquarium before. How many gallons does that hold?

it says 3.6 gallons on the website.

 

[MTBake]

I have a hob skimmer that holds about 1.5gallons. Plus a hob filter that holds another half gallon. I feel like I'm pushing the limit on my 40 breeder. Curious to hear others input on this.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Grab a few pieces of if 2x4 or something and make some “legs” for it. Cut them so it sits with the weight resting on the legs and not the tank.

 

[Fourstars]

The bigger the better, might want to maybe help support it at the stand with a homemade bracket?

 

[Leon Gorani]

Grab a few pieces of if 2x4 or something and make some “legs” for it. Cut them so it sits with the weight resting on the legs and not the tank.

hmm yeah that is a good idea actually, i could do that but i didn't really want to haha. thanks for the idea ill think about this.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

hmm yeah that is a good idea actually, i could do that but i didn't really want to haha. thanks for the idea ill think about this.

It’ll all be back behind the stand an tank, so you won’t ever see it. If you bind the support together and attach it to the stand it’ll allow you to remove the fuge for maintenance and replace it without having to mess with adjusting it again.

 

[bjc451]

I’m wondering too. I’m looking at aquamaxx? Did you shop that one?

 

[Leon Gorani]

It’ll all be back behind the stand an tank, so you won’t ever see it. If you bind the support together and attach it to the stand it’ll allow you to remove the fuge for maintenance and replace it without having to mess with adjusting it again.

very true, i kinda want to do this just to have a huge refugium but I'm just not sure. i feel as though even the small version of this product might need a small stand to hold it up too, do you think so? or that might be fine since it isn't as many gallons.

 

[Leon Gorani]

I’m wondering too. I’m looking at aquamaxx? Did you shop that one?

no i bought this one:

Medium AquaFuge2 Hang on Back Refugium with LED Lighting System

AquaFuge2 External Hang On Back Refugium with LED lighting - Medium Refugiums are a great option for growing algae to help control nutrients, as well as ideal conditions for harboring micro fauna. With three different sizes the AquaFuge2 is a simple to use hang on back refugium. With a...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

from bulk reef supply, car aquatics medium aquafuge2

 

[lilgrounchuck]

I can’t say as I’m not familiar with them or your tank. I do know that the mass production tanks have suffered from suuuuper shady and negligent construction over the last few years. I used to grab those petco tanks and not think twice about it. That said, I decided to start a reef tank last year and grabbed a 40b from petco during the sale (they used to be bulletproof) and I went through four, two from two stores, and they all had bad seams. I don’t trust those tanks now without anything extra hanging off the side. I’d definitely use what you bought, but no way would I trust it with all the weight hanging on that rim.

 

[bjc451]

Oh I read reviews on that light and pump. I think the aquamaxx is as big as the large one.

 

[Leon Gorani]

I can’t say as I’m not familiar with them or your tank. I do know that the mass production tanks have suffered from suuuuper shady and negligent construction over the last few years. I used to grab those petco tanks and not think twice about it. That said, I decided to start a reef tank last year and grabbed a 40b from petco during the sale (they used to be bulletproof) and I went through four, two from two stores, and they all had bad seams. I don’t trust those tanks now without anything extra hanging off the side. I’d definitely use what you bought, but no way would I trust it with all the weight hanging on that rim.

gotcha, i have a protein skimmer and an aqua clear 70 currently on the tank and they are both hanging on the back. I've heard a lot about seams breaking in these types of tanks too so I dont want to risk that.

now if I do hang this huge refugium on the back i will have that and my protein skimmer on the back glass, so it does seem like a lot of weight on one side right?
I think i should be good if i build a stand for this refugium since it is so big.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

gotcha, i have a protein skimmer and an aqua clear 70 currently on the tank and they are both hanging on the back. I've heard a lot about seams breaking in these types of tanks too so I dont want to risk that.

now if I do hang this huge refugium on the back i will have that and my protein skimmer on the back glass, so it does seem like a lot of weight on one side right?
I think i should be good if i build a stand for this refugium since it is so big.

Can you put the hob skimmer in the hob fuge? If you have the fuge supported you could work it so you only have one pump in the tank with no extra weight on the glass. Also, with that fuge, the ac70 can go away.

 

[Leon Gorani]

Can you put the hob skimmer in the hob fuge? If you have the fuge supported you could work it so you only have one pump in the tank with no extra weight on the glass. Also, with that fuge, the ac70 can go away.

no i can't fit it because i dont have enough space between the wall and the tank. I might have to move my tank a few inches to make that stand for the fuge anyway. yeah that was my plan, replace the aqua clear with the huge fuge haha. I might have to hang my light off of the fuse tho since it will cover that spot.
so would you build a stand to hold up the fuge if you were in my situation too, or return it for a smaller one?

 

[Isaac Alves]

Bigger better. More volume. I'd just get a couple of 2x4s and screw them into the back of your wood stand. maybe a couple of small shelf brackets to mount a flat plywood shelf to hold the weight. Done. And you're tank will be booming with life and natural filtration. Perfect future home for a couple of bonded Mandarins, seahorses, pipefish......

 

[Leon Gorani]

Bigger better. More volume. I'd just get a couple of 2x4s and screw them into the back of your wood stand. maybe a couple of small shelf brackets to mount a flat plywood shelf to hold the weight. Done. And you're tank will be booming with life and natural filtration. Perfect future home for a couple of bonded Mandarins, seahorses, pipefish......

Yeah that why I wanted this size, now I just gotta build something simple to make it work. Do you think even with the stand support that the fuge will pull on the glass? Or will it sit parallel against the tank? And the stand posts will do enough to keep the weight off the back glass?

 

[Isaac Alves]

Yeah that why I wanted this size, now I just gotta build something simple to make it work. Do you think even with the stand support that the fuge will pull on the glass? Or will it sit parallel against the tank? And the stand posts will do enough to keep the weight off the back glass?

That stand you're using appears to be a solid piece of furniture. The posts mounted on it, or even just shelf brackets with a shelf on it would handle all of the support. Just measure correctly so the lip of the overflow is where it should be. The tank shouldn't be supporting any of the weight if you mount it correctly.