DIY Aquaclear 70 refugium mod

Butchy21

Well-Known Member
BRS Member
So I have a 26 gallon bowfront tank with a 9" HOB skimmer. These dimensions really leave me with no option to put a sump in the narrow stand (not really space to either side of the tank as well) and not a lot of real estate to HOB. I liked the aquafuge small refugiums but they are pretty expensive for what you get! And I could maybe fit the Eshopps nano sump- but then I'd have to replace my HOB skimmer with a sump one and thus adds another $200. Thus, I decided to do the common Aquaclear filter mod into a refugium to add some macroalgae while keeping some space to run some media bags.

Basically, I cut apart the media bag insert and siliconed that in place to make two separate chambers, while also placing one at the output in order to trap algae from leaving into the display tank. I took my AQ50 propellor and replaced AQ70 one in order to reduce flow rates since the AQ70 is much more stronger than the 50 I had on the tank. Used some rock rubble and added some Caulerpa prolifera I got from a local reefer. LED light was nice and cheap, 12W 5 x 4.7inch size- so it almost perfectly fits over the space made for the fuge section. I was going to spray paint it black to keep light bleeding into my tank but ended up using black duct tape in case I ever need to pull it off. Made a flap on one side so I can peek into the fuge to check on things. It's been up and running a few days- pretty happy how quiet it is and how little light bleed there is.
 

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