PicoFuge

[Bongo Shrimp]

Here's my design for the PicoFuge for my 29g biocube. It's the solution for having a refugium for any small tank!

:::Patent Pending:::

5"x5"x5"

Small powerhead resides in main tank. Pumps water to the PicoFuge through thin airline. Water comes in, flows through the cheato inside, and flows out the two holes in the bottom like a drain, back into the DT. Drains using gravity only as the PicoFuge will be placed anywhere above the aquarium. Two float switches are in place and are connected to the pump. Two, so that if one fails, the other hopefully won't. The float switches will help keep the water level constant.



***Not seen in rendering***
_________________________
Adjustable valve goes on each of the dual return pipes to allow for adjusting of out flow of water. This allows you to adjust for any pump to keep the amount of water coming in, equal to the amount flowing out. Therefore, the PicoFuge never overflows. Two return pipes make it easier to control the out flow rate.

Renderings:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at64923PM.jpg

Side View:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at65040PM.jpg

Top Down:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at65009PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at65250PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at64903PM.jpg



Comments??? Suggestions??? What do you think???

[Argent]

looks real good - and small - so small I can't see it

[ryeguy28]

cool ............

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Cool design. I just wonder "why so small?" It seems like a fairly complicated build to end up with only a half gallon fuge. Not that it's a reason to not do it... but why not make it larger?

[Bongo Shrimp]

Well I just didn't want a ton more water added to the system and it's harder to hang on the wall above the tank. I have a new design coming in a few and it is less complicated.

[Bongo Shrimp]

Ok everyone, here's the latest design. Thanks Don for the idea. This one has two overflows rather than the other return idea. One is a primary, at the level the water should normally be at all the time. The other one is higher than the primary and is slightly wider so if the water gets to high, it will drain quickly and efficiently. I don't know about you guys but I like this idea best.


http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at94048PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at93949PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at93928PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at93854PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-11at94022PM.jpg

Well???

[Sir Patrick]

very cool idea!

[Bongo Shrimp]

Thanks, I hope it works!

[Bongo Shrimp]

Ok, had to do some redesigning after I sized out the gaskets. They would take up too much room in a 5x5x5 space so now instead of being 5" long, it will be 10" long, it will still be 5" tall and 5" wide. Now it will have one, wider overflow in the middle, at one end. I couldn't fit two gaskets that close because the acrylic would probably crack while trying to drill two holes that close to each other within a 5x5" area. It will still have a float switch for an emergency but possibly only one rather than two.

Now someone told me that I would need to have the inflow at the bottom rather than the top to create currents. He said if it is at the top, the water near the bottom will be oxygen deficient. Is that true?

What do you think of the latest redesign?

Here's the latest rendering:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-13at53549PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-13at53505PM.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/Screenshot2010-02-13at53446PM.jpg

[Bongo Shrimp]

Well, here it is! Just need to add the silicone to seal things up and I'm waiting for the float switch to arrive. Oh and need a pump too.

1g Pikofuge:
http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu79/SXM50/DSC_0818-1.jpg

[ReeferRob]

I have no clue how I've missed this thread. Really cool Bongo. What is the program your using to do this?

[Bongo Shrimp]

Oh, that's google sketchup.