Top Up System

[stefday]

Hi,

I have put several threads on relating to top up systems and refugiums and apologise for another.

I have a Red Sea Max 250 and would like to add a small refugium to aid pH and culture beneficial organisms but I have been told that it cannot be done without drilling the tank which I cannot do.

I saw this http/www.aqua-medic.de/seawater/en/12/Blue%20Reef%20reservoir%20mit%20Niveaumat/ and it made me wonder why you couldn`t have a simple tank in the cabinet with live rock/sand and caulerpa linked to a top up system? I don`t really like being told there is not a way of doing things but if this is the case fair enough.

I appreciate that I am still very new to marine keeping so would very much appreciate any advice on this.

Thanks.

 

[steelhealr]

Explain how you would set it up please. Meaning, you would top off your tank with refugium water SH

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Doing as implied says (topping up from a fuge with an auto top up) wouldnt really work.

It is kind of true that if you want a sump tank (this being a tank below the display tank which is linked) you either need to drill the display tank or use an overflow box on the display tank to get the water down to the sump.

Depending on the space around the tank though another alternative is to have the "sump" above the display tank. This way the sump tank is drilled and the return goes in the display. This is what I did on my nano as it saves you having to drill the display and if you break a cheap glass tank that you use for a sump while you are drilling its not a big deal.

 

[stefday]

I had initially thought of using an overflow box but have been told by quite a few people that these can be tempremental and the only way is to drill. The last thing I need is a flood but having now set it up I am not in a position to have it drilled and there is not enough room above to house a refugium.

As I could only have a small one anyway I thought of trying to combine a refugium and top up system but if alas this cannot be done it cannot be done.

Thanks anyway for your help.

Stef.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

hmmmmmm do you have any space between the back of the tank and the wall? To have a 'fuge above the tank doesn't mean it has to be really high above it. As long as the overflow from the fuge is an inch or so above the waterline of the display it will drain ok. If you even only have a couple of inches between the tank and the wall you could build and acrylic or glass fuge tank to sit down the back (or the side) of the display tank.