DIY mini side refugium!

I would love to add a small DIY mini refugium to achieve good water quality and add a little more volume to my 5 gallon ecopico. I also want to hide my heater.
Here are some pictures of what I plan on doing but I need your help and ideas on how I will get water in and out of the fuge. I will pick up some non tempered glass and silicon and paint it to form the fuge.

 

Anyone?

 

Alot of people use HOB filters like the big Emperor bio wheel models. Just take the filter cartridges out and use the chambers for the fuge part. Much safer than trying to pump and siphon one way or the other.

 

The Aqua Clear HOB filters make great refugiums. I have a modded AC 500, today they call it the AC 110, on my 16G bowfront and it has loads of room inside for a fuge, heater, some carbon and GFO or whatever. one of the smaller sizes would be perfect for your needs. I use the AC Mini on a little 5G display I set up sometimes.

 

I'm really not a fan of hob filters at all. I wouldn't be able to fit my heater inside and I don't like the look. I don't think It would be hard to make the fuge using glass and silicon. I just don't know how I am going to get water in and out. I was thinking a siphon to get it in and a small water pump attached to airline tubing to refill it.

 

It may be too long for your tank, but what about a CPR Aquafuge (the smallest one). You could definitely get a heater in there.

 

Im with these guys, a hob filter or fuge is the way to go here. Theres no way i would trust a siphon tube when i could just use a hob filter and not have to worry about floods. On a side note, i feel like what u sketched up would take away from the asthetics of the tank, but thats just my personal opinion.

 

I just googled that ac110. How cool! Looks big enough for a small heater for sure.
Seen some mods where people were growing bamboo out of it. I may have to get one for my freshwater tank.

 

Hello,
I designed a backpack refugium in the early 90's feed by a small pump then it just gravity feed back to DT.
Water entered the smaller area where i had a skimmer notice cut out in the lid. Then into refugium then gravity feed back to tank.




Good luck !

 

Nice work! People pay good money for that craftsmanship