DIY Acrylic Refugium
This is my project, the Harmoni-fuge! The Harmoni-fuge is a 2.5g hang-on-tank style refugium. Construction consisted of 8-10 hrs research and planning, 2 hrs cutting, and about 4 hrs cementing. Capillary cementing method was used on 1/4" stock Acrylite brand acrylic.This Refugium is a prototype for a 20" model I am designing for my 55g FOWLR to allow for more stocking options. The dimensions used here were 14"L x 5"W x 11"T.
The research and planning phase can be rather difficult without any real world experience to go on. I found so many contradicting reports that I decided trial and error would dictate the final word. That's a long ways off still. Construction begins exactly like before, with those corner clamps coming in ultra handy as a second pair of hands.
I've found much better info on cementing this time around and incorperated it into the assembly. The corner clamps function to hold the pieces still, not to apply pressure to the joint. Cappilary cementing works much better when the surfaces to be attached mearly touch, and are not held together under pressure. This allows the cement to be drawn up into the joint more thoroghly.
Order of assembly is very important. With so little room inside, the piping had to be worked out and put together before the tank was closed in. The bulkhead fittings were hard to come by. No plumbing supply, hardware store, or home center in Louisville, Ky keeps them in stock. (Not many submarines or deep sea recovery vehicles around these parts) They had to ordered in at $14.99 ea. if I remember correctly.
This is the finished refugium tank, with low baffle installed. The straight pipe on the left is the return, and the 90º pipe on the right is the intake.The intake is reduced to 1/2" to allow nearly any powerhead to be attached via a 2 inch length of 1/2"ID siphon hose. NOTICE!!! There is a critical design flaw here. There should be an adjustable flow valve between the pump and the bulkhead fitting. Without it, the powerhead fills the refugium tank too fast, causing an overflow hazard. Also, because of the lack of this valve, the unit back-siphons when the water level in the main tank drops during water changes and/or unchecked evaporation, draining the refugium tank. So, I go and leave out the most important part. Figures.
Here we have a close-up of the first of two special design features, the interchangeable baffle slot.
And 3 baffles of varying height. (Leaning against my tray lid.) The flow path inside the tank can be raised or lowered by installing the corresponding baffle.
This is my "Wet-tray" lid. The rail around the perimeter is 1" high, and serves to keep the lid from flexing/bowing, and doubles as a place to clamp a JBJ PC clip-light. The lid itself just turned out to be a great place to sit wet items; nets, test tubes, small rocks, ect. Thus the name "Wet-tray".
And finally, the finished tank section being leak/flow pressure tested. This, of course, was when I discovered the design flaw. I had the unit fed by a siphon hose connected to my tap, which had to be adjusted down to about the same flow rate as a mini-jet 404 on setting 3 (of 5) to prevent the refugium from overflowing. I am satisfied that this will be a good flow rate. The addition of the control valve in the intake pipe will allow the flow to be tweaked to perfection.
At this point I am happy with the unit as a whole. This one will be given to a reefer-friend who put up the $$$ for materials. It is designed to fit her nanoreef. I will begin work soon on the 20" model for my 55g, which I will document as well. I will happily answer any questions anyone may have regarding this project, its construction & design, or purpose.
This is my project, the Harmoni-fuge! The Harmoni-fuge is a 2.5g hang-on-tank style refugium. Construction consisted of 8-10 hrs research and planning, 2 hrs cutting, and about 4 hrs cementing. Capillary cementing method was used on 1/4" stock Acrylite brand acrylic.This Refugium is a prototype for a 20" model I am designing for my 55g FOWLR to allow for more stocking options. The dimensions used here were 14"L x 5"W x 11"T.
The research and planning phase can be rather difficult without any real world experience to go on. I found so many contradicting reports that I decided trial and error would dictate the final word. That's a long ways off still. Construction begins exactly like before, with those corner clamps coming in ultra handy as a second pair of hands.
I've found much better info on cementing this time around and incorperated it into the assembly. The corner clamps function to hold the pieces still, not to apply pressure to the joint. Cappilary cementing works much better when the surfaces to be attached mearly touch, and are not held together under pressure. This allows the cement to be drawn up into the joint more thoroghly.
Order of assembly is very important. With so little room inside, the piping had to be worked out and put together before the tank was closed in. The bulkhead fittings were hard to come by. No plumbing supply, hardware store, or home center in Louisville, Ky keeps them in stock. (Not many submarines or deep sea recovery vehicles around these parts) They had to ordered in at $14.99 ea. if I remember correctly.
This is the finished refugium tank, with low baffle installed. The straight pipe on the left is the return, and the 90º pipe on the right is the intake.The intake is reduced to 1/2" to allow nearly any powerhead to be attached via a 2 inch length of 1/2"ID siphon hose. NOTICE!!! There is a critical design flaw here. There should be an adjustable flow valve between the pump and the bulkhead fitting. Without it, the powerhead fills the refugium tank too fast, causing an overflow hazard. Also, because of the lack of this valve, the unit back-siphons when the water level in the main tank drops during water changes and/or unchecked evaporation, draining the refugium tank. So, I go and leave out the most important part. Figures.
Here we have a close-up of the first of two special design features, the interchangeable baffle slot.
And 3 baffles of varying height. (Leaning against my tray lid.) The flow path inside the tank can be raised or lowered by installing the corresponding baffle.
This is my "Wet-tray" lid. The rail around the perimeter is 1" high, and serves to keep the lid from flexing/bowing, and doubles as a place to clamp a JBJ PC clip-light. The lid itself just turned out to be a great place to sit wet items; nets, test tubes, small rocks, ect. Thus the name "Wet-tray".
And finally, the finished tank section being leak/flow pressure tested. This, of course, was when I discovered the design flaw. I had the unit fed by a siphon hose connected to my tap, which had to be adjusted down to about the same flow rate as a mini-jet 404 on setting 3 (of 5) to prevent the refugium from overflowing. I am satisfied that this will be a good flow rate. The addition of the control valve in the intake pipe will allow the flow to be tweaked to perfection.
At this point I am happy with the unit as a whole. This one will be given to a reefer-friend who put up the $$$ for materials. It is designed to fit her nanoreef. I will begin work soon on the 20" model for my 55g, which I will document as well. I will happily answer any questions anyone may have regarding this project, its construction & design, or purpose.
