CPR 3gal Pico for BioCube 14 refugium

I have had this pico setup and running for 5months and i have basically been running it as a refugium, without actually being hooked up to a bigger tank. ;D
I have macro algae, cheato, and a mangrove tree living happily with a few snails and hermits.
What i want to do is combine this 3gal Pico with my 14gal BioCube and use the Pico as a refugium for the biocube. I know you can convert the center chamber pf the Biocube into a fuge but i dont want to scrape off the glass and dont want to use an underwater light( last one i used corroded in my tank). Plus external lights can raise the temperature in the tank.
So i am thinking of useing a simple U tube to connect the BioCube to the Pico which will carry the water from the biocube to the pico (suction) And then use a rio 600 pump to pump the water back into the biocube. I will place this pump just a few inches below the pico/refugium water line just in case the u tube losses suction. Than the return will only pump a little bit of remaining water into the Biocube and prevent a flood.
I have seen this done before and i want to try it. If it fails i guess im only out a $15 Rio 600 pump.:-/ If it prevails i just added 5lbs of LR, 2 gallons of water and a nice fuge with macro to my Biocube.
What y'all think?

 

no one wants to play?

 

Sounds like it might work. Just make sure that if you pump loses power, your U-tube siphon won't flood the fuge.

 

anyone else tried this

 

OK!!! I finally connected the 3gal CPR Pico tank to the Biocube 14. It took some tinkering around to get the siphon and pump to work together while not overflowing the tank. HAHA
But its working, with no signs of stopping The pico fits nicely directly behind the biocube.
Here are a few pics of the setup,
1. The return tube on the left and the siphon/feed tube on the right. Both are 1/2inch tubing.

2. The return flows out of the pico/fuge and downward right next to the overflow return in the biocube.

3. The siphon/feed tube comes out of the third chamber of the biocube and into the main chamber of the pico.


4. I have 5 lbs of LR and Macro algae in the fuge.

5. Notice the water level in the fuge is far from the top in case the pico/fuge return pump fails and the biocube has to drain a little water into the pico/fuge to level out. Notice also that the pico/fuge return pump is just a couple inches under the water line in case the siphon/feed tube looses suction, i wont have a flood.

6. I am just using the 50/50 Power Compact Light fixture that came with the pico to light the fuge. I am getting good macro growth as of now.


I have a couple questions.
1. Where should i put cheato in this fuge setup?
2. Where should i put mangroves in the fuge setup?
Good Day

 

Very cool! I like the red algaes in the CPR. Chaeto I would put right under the light.

 

thanks man. Hope it works out cuz my pico was just chilling, with LR, macro, a hermit and a snail. This way i can combine them and hopefully create a healthier tank

 

heres some more pics of them working together

 

I used to have almost the exact same set up. Mine was the medium CPR, same light. I had a tunze in the cpr. JBJ 28 gal. Chaeto, LR and purigen also. The lighting that comes with it is nice.

Good place for time outs for grumpy hermits and such.

 

Awesome project. Looks like you thought of most things and it should work out well.