DIY Refugium Tank
A refugium is the term used to describe a separated area within an aquarium that acts as a refuge to keep the fish inside it completely separate and protected from larger or more aggressive tank mates. Newly hatched fry are isolated within a refugium and fed separately from other fish while still using the resources of the main tank. Using an internal refugium rather than setting up a separate external tank means there is no need for additional light, heat or filtration.
All fish keepers have their preferred method of making a DIY refugium, beginners can make one from plastic mesh.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic mesh screen
- Aquarium sealant
- Scissors or scalpel
- Ruler
- 4 silicon suction cups
Instructions
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1
Cut the plastic mesh screen into five identical squares. The size of square will depend on the size of your main aquarium and how much space you want to use for the fish refugium. Six-inch squares are suitable for newly hatched fry, but if your main tank is too small for this size, 4-inch squares will be adequate.
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2
Apply sealant along one edge of the first square and press one edge of the second square against it at a right angle so that the two pieces form an "L" shape. Repeat this with another two squares.
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3
Glue the two "L" shapes together to form four sides of a box.
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4
Attach the final square securely to the box using the sealant so that you have constructed a cube with one side left open.
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5
Leave the sealant to set properly. This can take up to 24 hours, so check the instructions on the adhesive packaging to be sure.
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6
Clip two suction cups along the top edge of one side of the refugium and repeat on the adjacent side with the remaining two suction cups.
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7
Position the mesh refugium in a corner of the aquarium and secure it by sticking the four suction cups to the glass sides of the tank.
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Tips & Warnings
The size of holes in the plastic mesh screen that you choose must be dense enough to stop the smallest fish escaping. This is especially important for very small fry, so if you can't find mesh dense enough, temporarily cover the refugium sides and base in a net similar to the type used for tropical fish nets until the fry grow.
Mesh screen sheets from craft stores are cheap alternatives to large plastic mesh sheets from DIY outlets and are cut to size with scissors.
It is important not to use a solvent based glue to construct the refugium tank as these adhesives are highly toxic to fish, even when dry. Sealants designed specifically for aquariums should always be used.
Make sure the refugium is completely dry before you submerge it in the main tank or the joints will not set properly.
After the refugium is in place, it must still benefit from the main filtration system, so check that the water is flowing in and out through the mesh sides properly.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit tropical fish image by kenny woodruff from Fotolia.com
