help or ideas for my 75

[saltjunkie]

Ok so i have a 75 just chillin on my back porch.. with the metal stand....
i have the 50 set up and running .. been up for atleast 4 years.... completely stable.... i wass going to upgrade to the 75, but im kinda scared to start over, and dont want to buy a new filter or lights at this time.....

how could i incorporate the 75 into my existing system?
Could i turn it into a super refugium?
how would i hook it in??? what would be needed....
or i can just set it up as a water top off system..
just throw a small water pump in there for movement and a drip system???

id rather make a nice refuge... but i dont reall kno w how to include it and get it all plumbed..

[saltjunkie]

no ideas.... or thoughts?
so for low flow.. a simple pump pumping over from my main tank... but then how to return it.....


should i just buy an overflow and have it just running slowly back into my sump?

or would it be cool to have a 75 gallon top off tank?

[saltjunkie]

maybe a visual???

[Reefland]

I think a big massive refugium type biotope would be awesome! A sand bed, some seagrasses and various macro algaes, a couple of gobies or dragonettes and some inverts would be very cool!

The easiest way would be to get the 75 raised slightly higher than the 50 gallon and get the right end (looking at the picture) drilled at the very top for a small bulkhead. Use a small pump from the 50 gallon (or T off from the return pump) to feed the 75 and the bulkhead would gravity feed back to the 50 gallon.

[saltjunkie]

so, you are saying ... lift the 75 up so that the bulkhead return is higher than the 50... throw a small pump in the sump.. pump into the 75.. then the drilled bulkhead will return that slow flow back into the main tank...

seems like a good idea....

how do you drill glass?
just a inch or 1.25 bulk head... would there be any need to silicone in a surface type skimmer..... or just put one of those screen type of things in the bulkhead...


how would you lift it??? concrete blocks?

humm.................

[Reefland]

Lifting would be a problem. Your could lift it several inches by placing a couple of layers of 3/4" plywood under the tank (on top of the stand), using blocks under the stand, or another number of other ways. Most importantly, make sure the tank is level!

As far as using a screen or something on the bulkhead, I wouldn't, just cause for things to get clogged. I think a 1.25" bulkhead would be fine and just check it often for debris and make sure it is feeding ok. For drilling the tank, speak to some local aquarium stores or glass shops, they should be able to do it or point you in the right direction.

[Samper]

I agree with Scott on this one....if you were to do a huge refugium like the one he described you could add a ton of diversity and natural foods to your system that might have been depleted without one. I think you'll notice that your skimmer won't be working quite so hard with all the algaes and sea grasses you can throw in there and your pod population would explode in time. This would allow you to keep some of the harder to keep fish like dragonettes etc.