Brand new to saltwater

The tank I'm going to use doesn't have an overflow. In order to have a fuge I need an overflow correct?

 

a overflow would look nicer but you could just have 10 gallon with a hole in the side above the dt and pump the water into it with a maxijet and some 1/4 inch tubing. but i guess that still is a overflow just on the fuge and not the display tank.

there are other options for overflows beside drilling like a overflow box.



overflows are nice because you dont have to have any thing in the dt equipment wise beside the overflow and a return.

 

I just found out we have a 28g tank up in our attic! I could use this as my refugium I just need to find a stand with enough room in the bottom to house it.

 

The only thing is I'm still not exactly sure all the supplies needed to make a sump/refugium or even how to do it....hopefully I can find some articles on the web. If you guys know of any articles or videos on how to build a refugium could you post them please?

 

the easiest way is buy some sort of material to divide the return pump and skimmer from the rest of the sump, put some holes in it. this is to keep the plants from being sucked into the pumps.
get plant lighting for the half without the skimmer and return pump.
either power compact lighting or just a couple compact flourscent bulbs that are around 6000kelvin. have the overflow dump into the plant side. in this set up you could only grow cheato since theres no sand but it would work.

you could always make a nicer one just remember to leave room for equipment
heres a article.
Advanced Aquarist Hot Tips

 

Thank you very much for the info sostoudt. Could I just add sand to the refuguim so i could grow more than just cheato?

 

yes but you need to be more careful with the water flowing into the fuge so it doesnt swirl the sand all over the place. i guess you may be able to solve it buy putting a 90% bend pipe at the end of the tube from the overflow

 

There are some great plans for refugiums on this and some other sites. I found soem good info on reefcentral.

You'll need some rigid plastic sheet or glass to make baffles. You can build a bubble trap baffle and/or use a filter sock or liverock bubble trap column.

here's the design I came up with... I didn't make it, but no reason it shouldn't work... I would add a second bubble trap between the fuge and sump.

 

Another question about sumps. Do i have to use pvc pipe for my plumbing, or is there an alternative?

 

Anything specific in mind? Most plastics are compatible, glass... do NOT use copper or metallic flex.