Docstach
Non-member
Here are a few pics of a refugium I built for my 30 gal. I didn't have room for anything under the tank, but all of the HOB style units seemed to small(shallow). It is not the prettiest thing (actually I fully realize it doesn't look good) and the pictures are worse, but I think it should work well. Dimensions are 20l x 20h x 5w. My aquarium stand is wider than my tank so the refugium sits on the stand behind the aquarium. I wanted the pump outside the aquarium so I just have a small MJ inside a small section within the refugium, you can't really see the divider well in any of the pictures. I was worried with the sides bowing too much so the top, bottom, and side edges are braced.
Ignore the mess around everything. I was trying to get everything cleaned up before my mother came to visit (yes I still worry about that even though I am a grown adult)
For people who have never worked with acrylic (this was my first time), it isn't too bad at all. I ordered the pieces with all of the major cuts already done. I was able to use a dremel and a small, cheap hack saw for the rest of the cuts. I was having trouble drilling the large holes in the acrylic for the pvc pipes so i just used a drill to drill a bunch of small holes until they completed the circle. I then sanded/melted the really rough edges of the hole with the dremel until I had a smooth circular opening. I am sure I broke a bunch of acrylic do's and don't's but knock on wood it seemed to work.
Ignore the mess around everything. I was trying to get everything cleaned up before my mother came to visit (yes I still worry about that even though I am a grown adult)
For people who have never worked with acrylic (this was my first time), it isn't too bad at all. I ordered the pieces with all of the major cuts already done. I was able to use a dremel and a small, cheap hack saw for the rest of the cuts. I was having trouble drilling the large holes in the acrylic for the pvc pipes so i just used a drill to drill a bunch of small holes until they completed the circle. I then sanded/melted the really rough edges of the hole with the dremel until I had a smooth circular opening. I am sure I broke a bunch of acrylic do's and don't's but knock on wood it seemed to work.
