stand alone refugium?

Depending on the size of your tank-if under 55g. You might look into the CPR HOB Aquafuge. I love mine on my 26g

 

Are those really that effective? I mean it's a small space and the waters high flow right?

 

swimswithfish swims in with your best bet yet! Craigslist a aquaclear 110 and go to lowes, buy a clip onlight with a 6700k bulb, then get some rubble and chaeto done! CHEAP!

 

Trust me, an aquaclear 110 I huge! Like 3 gallons! You would just need to make a couple baffles and it would be great. You could do LR and macro but no sand.

 

If you do go with the Aqua Clear 110 check out this site. You could even fit a Tunze Skimmer back there with these baskets!!

http://shop.mediabaskets.com/AquaClear-110_c46.htm

 

I dont like to correct anyone, but it is not near 3 gallons of water in a 110. maybe close to one gal, but thats it.

i just made one last weekend, ive been running an aquaclear 110 and some marineland crap filter with bio wheels HOB's for 2 years on a 75 reef with fish, and a crappy sea clone 150 skimmmer.

im having a 20high fuge being made now, so i converted the 110 AQ to a mini fuge to start getting some chaeto growing.

it is super easy to make, i used super glue gel instead of sealer, took less then a 1/2 hr to make.

to redude flow, i clipped an 1/8" off the ends of the impeller, and also sanded it down to less then 1/2 its original height, and keep the pick up tube to the slowest setting, (it slides to adjust it) the water flows at a rate that i find to be ok, slow enough that the chaeto is not getting stuck in the return.

that AQ110 is over 12 years old, and i only ever replaced an impeller once.
cheap, quiet, dependable, will never over flow.

my nitrates dropped from 44 to 28 since friday, im happy with it and cant wait till the fuge is up and running, should have done it 2 years ago.

i will also be using the esshops self priming overflow box, a new eshopps 150s cone skimmer, mag 5 pump

 

that makes more sense. In any case, I just drilled out my in tank refugium and got it set up with the pump and all that stuff. Also got my hydor slim skim (ITS HUGE!!!!!!!)