Returm chamber refugium

[BullyBee]

Hey now. I have a huge return chamber. It’s 12”x7”. Can I turn 3/4 of that into a refugium and be all good. I only ask because I never see a return pump in with a refugium...I wouldn’t use sand but rock rubble and macro algae are obvious.

 

[Spare time]

It would cause the pump to be constantly clogged

 

[mann1139]

You can buy cheap sheets of acrylic. I would split the chamber with that.

 

[NB Reefer]

If you are going to add a refugium I would separate it from the return pump. As stated previously the return pump will get all gunked up if it is in the same chamber as the refuge.

 

[New&no clue]

I saw on of the BRS videos they used one of the extra coarse filter pads to create a wall between sections in the sump

 

[BullyBee]

So how would you go about splitting it? I don’t want to mess up flow and But I also don’t want algae.

Do I have to cut a hole in the acrylic wall if I used it? Would I have to use my router to make slots. Would I just have the an acrylic piece so it’s 3” of the bottom?

Or would I use a coarse sponge as was recommended?

 

[JDB83]

You can get the pond plant baskets and put your alage in there have done this in the past and have not had any issues just make sure the top of basket is alittle above water line so alage doesn't come out

 

[mann1139]

So how would you go about splitting it? I don’t want to mess up flow and But I also don’t want algae.

Do I have to cut a hole in the acrylic wall if I used it? Would I have to use my router to make slots. Would I just have the an acrylic piece so it’s 3” of the bottom?

I would cut a piece of acrylic to fit in the tank, about the same height as the piece leading into that chamber, and then glue it in using acrylic glue.

You will notice the height of the chamber with the return pump is going to vary a lot, so you want that chamber to be as big as possible.

 

[BullyBee]

I would cut a piece of acrylic to fit in the tank, about the same height as the piece leading into that chamber, and then glue it in using acrylic glue.

You will notice the height of the chamber with the return pump is going to vary a lot, so you want that chamber to be as big as possible.

So in that case I might be better off just using a reactor with GFO. Even though I was told it isn’t worth it for a FOWLR I guess I will have to combine it with carbon. I want to battle algae. That’s my goal.