Re-purposing a cpr hob refugium

chefpaakk · #1 06-24-2015, 08:59 PM

I am just looking for ideas and advice before I dive into drilling holes in a perfectly good hob cpr refugium.

I have a 93 gal rimless cube, with a large 25X25" sump.. My sump is quite basic with a large space for the skimmer and then 2 baffles and then the return pump section. I currently have a drilled out pitcher with macro algae hanging from the side of the take and would like to hide that in my sump as I hate the cluttered look it gives the tank...

I have picked up a used cpr hob refugium with the intent to remove the existing piping and turn it into a in-sump refugium. I plan to put the refugium directly under my drain from the DT and have it drain into either a filter sock, or directly into the cpr. Which do you think would be best?

Second, I originally was going to have the water just over flow the sides of the cpr but have come to realize that the light I bought for the refugium, doesn't fit on the side of my main sump, but will however connect to the side of the refugium. The light base cannot come into contact with water so that kills the idea to just allow the water to overflow the cpr. I am now thinking I will use the 2 large hole where the pipes were as a level and drill holes all the way across the side of the cpr to act as an overflow.

In the cpr I plan to keep a dozen mangroves and cheato and some red grape macro algae and some sand. Will I need to have a small power head in the to ensure there is proper movement, or will the draining from the DT be enough?

Does anyone have any other opinions or suggestions on what I should do?

It would be pretty much impossible to install a baffle into the sump without tearing down the DT.

Thanks in advance!

chefpaakk · #2 06-26-2015, 04:26 PM

Really? No one has an opinion on this?

I'm I being to vague?

dcw1sfu · #3 06-26-2015, 06:20 PM

Just curious why would you not use it as its intended and just hang it off the side of the sump rather then the side of the display tank? I thought about getting one as well and I also don't want clutter hanging off the side of my tank I was going to have it hang off the side of my sump having it pump from the baffle prior to my return and then drain into my return chamber.

chefpaakk · #4 06-26-2015, 06:26 PM

I have no room to hang it off my sump. I have a 30X30 inch stand with a 25X25" sump. in front of it I have a 5 gallon ato tank and beside it has all my wires and transformers for the lights and all that jazz. Only place I really have is inside my sump.

Sort of poor planning on my part, however its my first sump.

dcw1sfu · #5 06-26-2015, 07:56 PM

Heh sounds very much like mine and why I haven't pulled the trigger on the cpr fuge. I personally like running my overflow into a filter sock as by the look of the sock after a few days I know it's keeping my tank a little cleaner. So i would run your oveeflow into a sock and then the fuge. I would also try and rig it so you can have it overflow directly to the return section therefore the pods have a better chance of making it into your tank.