DIY Aqua Clear 70 mini refugium

This will be ongoing as I finish up the project, but here's what I started yesterday.

Your first step will be to remove the media basket and cut off the sides. Regular scissors worked fine. I then trimmed the two longer edges of the bottom portion to get rid of the ridge. Not necessary, but I did it anyway.



Next, apply a bead of Aquarium silicone to the two short edges of the grey mesh grid.



Place the grid on the inside edge of the main chamber of the filter. This will keep the chaeto or whatever macro you'll be using from spilling out into the tank.



Front shot. Yeah it's crooked. I don't really care.



My next step was to use the two sides of the media basket as a shelf to prop my Jali 13 watt light strip over the fuge. I cut them down and am going to use the upper portion.



Yesterday I used some silicone to attach them, but this morning, the hold wasn't what I'm happy with so I pulled them off and used some gorilla glue and reclamped them.



You can skip the light shelf thing if you are using a clamp on lamp. These are great for mini fuges - http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...032+2146963258

Next step is to cut a piece of acrylic to create a baffle. This will separate the main chamber from the intake and impeller area. I clamped a small piece of plexi to the side and marked where I need to cut.



Lowe's or Home Depot will have thin plexi along with the plexi cutter to score the plexi and then you can snap it. Easy to do.



The shape of the Aqua Clear isn't a perfect rectangle. There's a bit of an angle to one side. My first piece didn't fit - I cut it too small. Second try worked great. You'll have to round the lower corners of the plexi. Dremel works well for this.

This morning I siliconed the baffle in place.



Once that dries, I'll add some more to the thread.

You'll need to cut down the U-tube to fit in the tank. DO NOT cut the lower portion of the intake tube, cut the U-tube on the opposite side of the adjustment knob. Cut it to fit whatever size tank you'll be running the fuge on.



I swap out the impeller that comes with the AC 70 with an impeller from and AC 20 (mini). It slows the flow down. If you'd prefer more flow, then leave the impeller. (You could also use the impeller for any of the other smaller Aqua Clears) To take out the impeller lift up the grey piece of plastic where the U-tube rests inside the filter. It pulls right out.



Ac 70 impeller on the right, the AC 20 impeller on the left.



This is the filter pad I use. It fits perfectly in the baffled area that I created. A replacment pad for an Eclipse Six will work too , but you'd have to make your baffled area wider.



Filter pad in place.



A shot from the back. Notice the pad doesn't go all the way down. It doesn't need to. If you shove it all the way down it defeats the purpose of running it - the water will flow right over the top of it rather than through it.

The fuge is in place on the tank, and I tossed in some LR rubble that I keep in there. (great to have on hand for mounting frags.)



Chaeto and some miscellaneous macro that I pulled out of my 30 cube. It seems to be growing well in my fuge.



And finally, the Jali light strip over the top and the fuge is done.

[icereefer]

go, go sugar gadget, looks cool sugar hope it works out great for you.
Jim
PS any progress on that pocket reef.?.....

very nice job sugar!

[Condiman]

Looks great Sugar

[caseyjaydarling]

i just ordered a aquaclear 500 for my tank. (it was only 25 dollars!) any ideas on how to cut down the flow? i have a 10g.

You could add two baffles for it. That's what others have done to slow the flow in the bigger AC.

[caseyjaydarling]

ok. i'll do some more research and see what i can do. i couldn't pass up the deal! (plus if i ever upgrade tanks it will still work) :thumbsup:

Really great pictorial, SM. It looks like a nice finished project too.