How To Set Up A Simple EXTERNAL GRAVITY FED Refugium (Part 2) Plumbing & Flow

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Everyone! I hope you can take something away from part 2 of the refugium build. Any questions, feel free right here! I’d like to thank all the subscribers for supporting the channel! Onward and upward! Let’s keep the Tom Reefer Train Rollin! 😃👍🏻

[@ravagedcore131]

Great video! I just did this with a spare 10 and I got the pvc all glued together and in place and then got concerned if its safe did you do anything special to the pvc after cementing them to make it safe os it already safe 24 hrs? Thanks

[@ernesttrujillo7336]

I can't see the supply hose. Is it just hanging in the refugium?

[@TOMReefer]

@ernesttrujillo7336 hi Ernest, yes, it’s attached to the left side and over hangs the tank👍🏻

[@ernesttrujillo7336]

Thanks you ! Great video and beautiful reefs!

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Ernest! 😊

[@stevenpavan327]

I love your new tank. There is also something special about your old tank too.

[@brandonmms]

Get "f-ng" excited Tom...tank is looking great. Congrats on the reefer rain picking up speed

[@TOMReefer]

Haha! Glad you watched the “f-ing” ending Brandon! I knew my hardcore Subs would watch until the end! 😁👍🏻let’s keep the train rollin.

[@astronomical5799]

Congrats on 5000 Tom! Turning the 5gal into a gravity refugium is a cool idea.

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Astronomical, thanks! Yes! I will wait a bit until nitrate and phosphate start to show up before adding macro algae. 😊👍🏻

[@mike-dq5ro]

Congrats on the 5k+ subscribers Tom, you’re videos are very informative, it’s hard not to get hooked. Keep up the good work!!

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Mike! I appreciate it👍🏻😊

[@euphyllialife9667]

This video is very useful. I’m making a 8’ pond and using a gravity fed Refugium and this video while not applicable size gave me a proof of concept. FYI my file fish killed a gem tang lol.

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks! Glad it helped! Good luck on your pond👍🏻😊

[@Harolddespui]

I've seen people using that purple pvc primer to dye their dryrock with, looked good.

[@TOMReefer]

I haven’t seen that 😊

[@Harolddespui]

@@TOMReefer Here a guy making his own dryrock from cement, at the end of the video he dyed it with the pvc primer. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnS7dYSmdpJ-oaM

[@johantatis]

Hey!!! Tom congrats on 5k!!! Love the gravity-fed fuge. Can't wait for the rest of the vids

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Johan! The refugium has been a fun project. Glad to like it! 😊👍🏻

[@johantatis]

@@TOMReefer I ran a fuge for a while but converted to a turf scrubber

[@TOMReefer]

@@johantatis cool! I’ve seen DIY turf scrubbers! They work great!

[@johantatis]

@@TOMReefer ill trade you my turf for your fuge lmao, can't wait to see the end results!! See you in the next vid.

[@richardportelli1983]

Keep up the good work Tom!

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Richard! Thanks! Good to hear from the land down under! 😃👍🏻

[@Messier87_M87]

Congrats on the 5k Tom, the channel is growing quite quickly. The tank came together very nicely. Thanks for the great DIY reefing content, all the information you present, really helps keep the hobby going by making it more affordable. 👍🏻

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Dave! Thanks so much for the kind words! It’s nice to know I could be helping people with different ways of doing things. 👍🏻😊

[@WandWizardLLC]

Great job the tanks are looking good! Eye candy! 👍🏻

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks RG! 👍🏻😊

[@fishpony1211]

Setup came out great! Cant wait to get mine done. Congrats on the 5k. You deserve the 100k for sure. Great content, but the algorithm just seems to look over great creators sometimes.

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks FP, I appreciate it 👍🏻😊

[@atkinsnatureaquariums3552]

Congrats on 5k! I'm a relatively new viewer and have really enjoyed the content. Keep it up. This build is cool 😎

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Atkins, I appreciate that! Glad you found Tom Reefer 😃 I’ll keep the vids coming 👍🏻😊

[@ibewbro5614]

Congrats on the 5k dude... the tang is looking good how long u had him now?

[@TOMReefer]

Hi IBEW, thanks! Because of guys like you👍🏻😊Tang has been 3 weeks now. It’s ready to go in the 75! 😃

[@ibewbro5614]

@@TOMReefer wow only 3 weeks and it looks that good that's pretty good thanks for the great videos as usual very informative

[@TOMReefer]

Yes! About week 2 it colored up nice! I leave nori clipped in the tank and feed a mix once a day. Probably should do a vid on it 🤔😊

[@TunefuIIy]

Hey Tom I'd like to set up a refugium. I just ordered a jbj nano glow. I only have a hob system for my 29 so I need to make my filter a refugium. I have the aquamaxx hob 1.5 skimmer so my media will go into input part of the housing and chaeto in my filters basket with pads and sponges with the light pointing down into the filter. I dont have anymore room on the back of my tank for another housing.

[@TunefuIIy]

Filter is a tidal 75

[@TunefuIIy]

This is to reduce my nitrates due to not as porous THR (Lace Rock/Texas Holey Rock) which was a mistake thanks to my stupid LFS who sold me that nonsense back when I first started not realizing how non porous it was thus leading to low bacterial colonies. So I just put in Brightwells Xport NO3 cubes and some Microbacter7. If that doesn't greatly reduce my nitrates then chaeto it is!

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Tunefull, great! You have a lot happening there! Keep us posted! 👍🏻😊

[@TunefuIIy]

@@TOMReefer I will do! Hopefully you can also give some nano surface area bricks a shot on a tank soon! I'll update this on possibly this comment or on the next video! Love the videos Tom! Thank you!

[@BeingMarcKnox]

Hey Tom - I have a little 6g gravity refugium on my 70g DT. Its its awesome, but beware. That macro algea will suck all the nutrients right out of your tank and cause diatom blooms, siano, and LPS to die. Pay attention to the first sign of trouble, which is no algae on the glass. Also I would put an inline valve to close the flow, and regulate the phos/nitrate uptake....which means you need a circulation pump in the refugium, or one of those small clear nano HOB filters. Looks awesome!

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Marcquis, you must think I’m a rookie😃

[@BeingMarcKnox]

@@TOMReefer Not at all. 🤣. You are spot on and far from a rookie. I just thought I'd share the consequences of running a fuge and a skimmer...mainly for other people considering running both. In your 75 update I heard you say that you turned the skimmer off at nite. I had to turn mine all the way off...for a few week. I guess the point I was making is that my little 6g gravity fed display fuge is very efficient. 😊 Keep em coming!

[@TheNichols1981]

Hi Tom looking good dude. Congrats on the 5k man. Hi look , that file fish is very cool I have one he was in my 14 biocube mixed reef for about 2 months he eat some Aiptasia but he started munching on my Acan corals so i had to set up a 2gal pico tank to put him in . now have to see if my Acans recover

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Kaylon, thanks! Yes, I was concerned about putting the file fish in the 75gal just because of that. Have you tried to get him out of the mixed reef? Was it difficult? I’d like to put him in there just to remove the aiptasia, then take it back out.

[@TheNichols1981]

@@TOMReefer my tank is small and he is slow but he knows how to fly and flapped to the back in center where the drip try is had to use a spoon the get him in the net

[@YoureBreathtaking]

Tom you're adding another pump for the refugium isn't that gonna add more heat?

[@TOMReefer]

Hi YB, a small amount, not really measurable, it’s a very small pump 185gph/700lph. And I don’t have a heat issue. Tank runs between 77- 79F

[@rudra7615]

This is great, we're such a generation programmed to just buy equipments so this is inspiring. Learning alot as you offer some great tips when it comes to DIY. If people use their minds, there is a DIY solution for anything rather than go and spend money on a new product. Thanks, amongst the slew of reefing KZbinrs, you definitely sit firmly amongst them all. Question though, I didn't catch this on the previous video but are you going to feed water from the tank to this refugium using a pump or water from an RO unit? I don't think it will be an RO unit as that water doesn't have any nitrates or phosphates to feed the refugium or pods

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Rudra, thanks for your kind words! The water gets pumped from the larger tank. I have a small pump in the chamber that pumps up to the refugium. 👍🏻😊

[@josueherrera5440]

Coming along nicely! Also I highly recommend the sicce pumps they are very quiet, or even a jebao/jecod dc pump so you can fine tune the exact flow you want

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Josue, thanks! Yes, I’m familiar with Sicce, I actually have a .5 ready if I need it.👍🏻the jebao sounds good because of the control 👍🏻

[@Botzz28]

Congrats on 5K subs! Update on my tank. I got rid of the Dino’s but now my nutrients are sky high .. it won’t settle in the middle lol. I got an ORA Red Sea urchin to help with the GHA and I’ll do a few water changes maybe it will stabilize but I have to be careful not to bottom out my nutrients again 😩.. i have been using Dr Tim’s waste away and it really seems to be working. Normally I would have horrible hair algae come back when I ge the nutrients back up but I feel as if the bacteria I dosed is getting to the nutrients first which is cool. it’s getting there tho I’m glad I stuck with it .. I’ll never ever ever ever go dry rock again tho.. I always started my tanks with live rock and I never had issues like this !

[@TOMReefer]

Stick with it Botzz😊👍🏻

[@georgemattoon7323]

Hello there I was thinking of trying out the kalkwasser in my 10 gallon reef how much would I add

[@TOMReefer]

Hey George, test first. if your evaporation rate in your ato is 2-3 gallons a week, then start with 1/8 teaspoon per gallon. Then Test after the first day, see what it’s doing. Adjust accordingly

[@dobermanguy9437]

I'm not a big fan of bulkheads I had one of them leaking on my hundred gallon anytime you drill holes through glass with the bulkhead installed eventually you will ever problem. I've used those PVC cutters they make working with PVC so easy by the way I check my tank every other day all the plumbing for leaks just to be safe it only takes a second your tanks are looking awesome tom

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Doberman guy, I know what you mean. I’ve been checking, all looks good so far. I’ll just keep an eye on it. Thanks for watching 👍🏻😊

[@stevenpavan327]

I have a question for you Tom. Background: I have a 90 gallon tank. Believe it or not, I have it set up as follows: It is filtered by 4 hang on the back filters and a big hang on the side protein skimmer. Water flow is accomplished via two big Koralia pumps. Lighting is, again believe it or not, accomplished via a marinland light strip and two LED spot lights from home depot. I can't really afford actual reef lights. I have green star polyp and two favias. They actually do ok. My QUESTION: Is there an additive I could add to help them be the best they can be, on the market? I use a basic salt mix and regular tap water.

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Steven, the only thing I can think of is amino acids for coloration. However they are really pricey! It also depends on your idea of what you want them to look like? You may have a handicap with the lighting and the tap water? Not sure. You’re up in Canada, your tapwater may be really clean and low and TDS? Are your HD lights 6500k? You should also put some fish in there. They become the organic food for the corals. What are your parameters?

[@ABSOLUTfiftytwo]

Hi Tom, Sorry to write a little late…I have to ask: jebao SOW (the newest model I think?) vs hygger Mini as far wave makers for my 40 Breeder? I would like to maybe do one on each side? Thanks Rob

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Robert, I can only speak on the hygger mini. I really like them. Haven’t used the Jebao👍🏻😊

[@ABSOLUTfiftytwo]

@@TOMReefer Thank you Tom, I have always trusted your advice…You are the BEST!

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Robert! 👍🏻

[@ABSOLUTfiftytwo]

@@TOMReefer you are very welcome

[@mzakri]

won't the gravity feed refugium dump water that will cause salinity changes in your main tank ? also do you use ATO on the refuge?

[@TOMReefer]

The refugium is plumbed into the main display. It shares the same water. 👍🏻water is pumped to it from the display tank overflow compartment.

[@mzakri]

thanks for the explanation@@TOMReefer

[@TOMReefer]

NP! 😊

[@ravagedcore131]

@TOMREEFER amazing detailed video i just did this with a spare 10 and i got the pvc all glued together and in place and then got concerned did you do anything special to the pvc after cementing them to make it safe os it already safe 24 hrs? Thanks

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Ravaged, the only place you might be concerned would be the bulkhead or connection coming out of your tank. Just make sure you have a rubber gasket between glass and bulkhead washer. And tighten it down😊 if you used the PVC glue correctly, there wouldn’t be a problem at all with the connections. Once you start running it, just keep an eye on the bulkhead for any drips. Tightened down a little bit more if you see dripping. Let me know how it goes! 😃

[@ravagedcore131]

@TOMReefer will update thank you for the speedy reply. Have a terrific evening

[@TOMReefer]

NP! Have a great evening as well

[@PedroAugusto-dv3qp]

hi tom great vides congratulations! I have a question: why don't you use carbocalcium instead of two parts? just need a doser and it's as cheap as kalkwasser and more concentrated. I was waiting for this video! 😎

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Pedro, thanks! I’ve heard about carbocalcium Tropic Marin. If you’ve had success with it, great! You know how it is with reef Keeping, you find things that work for you and you stick with it. I’ve always used C Balance, and have great success. And a one gallon mixture lasts 6 months for me. So? 😊thanks for watching the vids!

[@ralphjustineestil4124]

Road to 6k!

[@jibe4781]

Hi Tom. Nice work. Very clear. How is the flow inside ? 5k 🤩

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Jean, thanks! Good question. Flow in the refugium not much. I didn’t want water rushing into the main display. However, I will probably add more with a hygger? Lowest setting. Just enough to move water around. 😃👍🏻5K

[@paularamos2545]

Hey big T , luvn everything ur doing with 70, but now the question …I have a bubble tip anemone and had it for a week but it doesn’t look good today I swear my clown is killing it but it just didn’t come all the way out and looks to have a brown tint (it’s a green bt) my parameters seem to be perfect except ph it is typical at 7.8 I would like it a lil higher but hey..nitrate is 5 Ish , no ammonia dkh is 8.6 temp 78 .4 constant nitrite 0 phosphate is basicly unreadable it’s mouth is puckered not loose on rock at all. I hav ai 16 I have blue at 36 royal24 white 19 red 1 green 1 ur 14 but u understand we really don’t have uv purple at 11 …maybe not strong enough was gonna go up a lil every week any suggestions? Thx johnny5 also anyone have any thoughts .can use all the help I can get

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Johnny, anemones sometimes take a while to settle in. A week is not much time. So many factors. Your parameters seem fine. I would give it a few more weeks. But make sure you’re feeding it. In the beginning 2 times per week. 👍🏻😊

[@christopherbraxton7289]

I told you it would go up .

[@TOMReefer]

Haha😃👍🏻

[@jerry3sanchez]

🚂 !!!keep rolling!!

[@TOMReefer]

You got it! 😁👍🏻

[@aussied723]

👍 🚂5k congrats

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Aussie! 😊👍🏻

[@paularamos2545]

Nothing worse than vibrations from pumps

[@paularamos2545]

New nick name, mr 5k…..lol j.5