HOB Refugium for 29 G Tank

[chrisfont23]

Has anyone successfully built/modded a HOB filter to be used as a refugium? I have a 29 gallon reef that has been up for about 7 months now and I am slowly stocking. I have about 40 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of sand (aragonite). I use a skimmer and a fluval 305 for carbon/phosphate removal sans pads. I was thinking of adding a HOB refugium, since my space is limited (no sump) and doing it by modding a AquaClear 50 Power Filter. Has anyone done this with any success or is it a waste of $35?

[Chasman]

CPR and EcoSystems both make HOB refugiums that are pretty good. I have the EcoSystem Pro 40 on my 29 and its been working fine for a year and a half. The one I have has the protine skimmer built in that really doesn't work all that well. I'd buy one again, as they work well, but I would figure a different way to use a skimmer. I run a small Fluval on my tank as well.

[chrisfont23]

Yeah, I am kind of out of money for a while so I chose the DIY route. I had an extra HOB filter collecting dust in my closet. Here is the finished product. Single chamber (obviously) but I might try to squeeze a foam pad on the left side next to the intake/impeller

[wburrick]

I turned a hang on back filter into a fuge on mine. I'm not sure that its doing much beacause I can't fit that much algae in it but that seems to be the case with any hang on back fuge.

[Reefing Madness]

How are you lighting it?

[chrisfont23]

I turned a hang on back filter into a fuge on mine. I'm not sure that its doing much beacause I can't fit that much algae in it but that seems to be the case with any hang on back fuge.

Agreed, but it can be worthwhile. It depends on the filter you use and how creative you can be. If you can get an AquaClear 70/110 and split it into two chambers, it can make a difference. At least mine did. I have two (growing) clumps of chaeto, some live rock and some ll corals. I light mine with a clip on LED. I have had it since March and have clipped the chaeto once a month. So it's doing something. I don't even use the impeller / intake. Since chaeto likes low flow, I feed my HOB fuge with the outtake hose from my Phosban reactor. Hope that helps...