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

[mrpizzaface]

You will be fine. Don’t worry.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

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.

For what it's worth, this is what I would do.

The fuge will be mounted on the rear on the aquarium, and the black plastic surface of the fuge is what you will see.
The mounting points of the fuge will cause some stress on the aquarium glass, potentially resulting in failure of the glass (crack).

I would buy a black piece of 2mm to 3mm thick black acrylic, the same size as the rear glass pane of your aquarium, & sandwich this acrylic sheet between the aquarium glass & the fuge. The acrylic will spread the load at the fuge mounting points.
The acrylic will give you a nice black background, also hiding the fuge.

See diagram below.

 

[Leon Gorani]

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.

Yes it all made out of wood, built it myself, so it had a 3/4 inch sheet along the entire backside, I could use that to drill other posts of wood to hold it in place. And make a shelf for the fuge to sit on. Understood, I will test that out this weekend

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Execute the support for the fuge. Move your hob skimmer to one side of the tank and the ac70 to the other. With a powerhead in there you’ll have crazy variable flow, plus the bio benefits of a fuge.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I would definitely keep the fuge. More water, more filtration is worth keeping. I would add a brace to the tank. I put some euro bracing on a 40 breeder inside the trim that worked good and gave me great piece of mind. I went a local glass shop and they sold me a 1/4" piece of glass 1" x 36" for $5. One or two of those on a 29 gallon tank would be more than enough for that fuge.

I'm going to steal and modify Scrubber_steve's diagram, thanks , for visual aid.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I'm going to steal and modify Scrubber_steve's diagram, thanks , for visual aid.

steal & modify

you devil

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I gave you credit.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I would definitely keep the fuge. More water, more filtration is worth keeping. I would add a brace to the tank. I put some euro bracing on a 40 breeder inside the trim that worked good and gave me great piece of mind. I went a local glass shop and they sold me a 1/4" piece of glass 1" x 36" for $5. One or two of those on a 29 gallon tank would be more than enough for that fuge.

I'm going to steal and modify Scrubber_steve's diagram, thanks , for visual aid.

Not bad,,, but,,, I like my idea better

I understand that you meant to remove the black acrylic all together from my diagram.
I don't know if your glass strip under the fuge would be able to support the weight of the fuge with water???

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I would definitely keep the fuge. More water, more filtration is worth keeping. I would add a brace to the tank. I put some euro bracing on a 40 breeder inside the trim that worked good and gave me great piece of mind. I went a local glass shop and they sold me a 1/4" piece of glass 1" x 36" for $5. One or two of those on a 29 gallon tank would be more than enough for that fuge.

I'm going to steal and modify Scrubber_steve's diagram, thanks , for visual aid.

I'd also be weary of fitting a Euro brace to the top of the aquarium, taking into consideration the clamp method used at the top of the fige.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I think your acrylic idea would work, but a piece the same size of the back would cost more than a new 29 gallon tank.

Hanging a fuge on the back would "pull" the top of the tank out, and "push" in on the bottom. Adding a 1" strip of glass on either of those stress points will increase the strength. Granted, the added strength of both locations are not equal, but either is far better than not having it.

Quickly becoming my favorite picture.

I also think that glass is a perfectly acceptable "shelf." My entire skimmer sits on a DIY 3/8" glass shelf with a couple of gussets.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

I think your acrylic idea would work, but a piece the same size of the back would cost more than a new 29 gallon tank.

Surely not??

In any case, for your lower glass strip/support to be effective it would need to take the full weight of the fuge.
If the support failed,,,, catastrophe.

p.s. I'm appreciative that some liked my diagram.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Nice chaeto growth.

 

[Jwoott]

You should be fine. I literally have about the same set up as you. I think my refugium is a little smaller but it has held up fine for years. 29 g tank, hob skimmer, hob fuge, lights on back too.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

If adhered correctly, glass will break before the silicone joint does. If you've never tried to take apart an old tank or sump baffle etc, it's really hard to do. Almost 0 change a 1" piece of glass siliconed the entire length of the back would fail at the joint. If you wanted more piece of mind, add a couple of gussets.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

You should be fine.

Unfortunately, it's hard to sleep at night, or enjoy a holiday when "should be" is applied to the equation.

No offence meant, I understand what you mean.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

If adhered correctly, glass will break before the silicone joint does. If you've never tried to take apart an old tank or sump baffle etc, it's really hard to do. Almost 0 change a 1" piece of glass siliconed the entire length of the back would fail at the joint. If you wanted more piece of mind, add a couple of gussets.

Mmmmmmmm, gussets.

How much is a 30" x 18" piece of acrylic where you live?

 

[Scrubber_steve]

2mm x 24" x 16.5" black acrylic on ebay $7.24 US https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2mm-BLA...m2a8844340b:g:NJUAAOSw3YJZXGWb&frcectupt=true

Pick it up cheaper in the US I'm sure?

The fuge was $226 US

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

What good is a 24" by 16" piece of acrylic when a 29 gallon tank is 30 1/2" x 19" ?

2mm acrylic doesn't have enough strength to hold its own shape. A 4mm or 6mm that would cover the entire back costs more than the $29 petco tank on amazon.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

What good is a 24" by 16" piece of acrylic when a 29 gallon tank is 30 1/2" x 19"

That was just an example that's close to the required size.

2mm acrylic doesn't have enough strength to hold its own shape.

I work with acrylic, what you said is silly.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

Using the Acrylite acrylic calculator, properly top braced 2mm acrylic can't safely make a 30" x 6" tall tank. It requires .118" 4mm acrylic, with a top brace, much less a 19" tall tank. If you remove the top brace, like sticking a piece to the back, what good would 2mm be?