Red Sea resovoir into a Fuge?

[laezur]

Has anyone turned the Red Sea ATO (the smaller 170 one for me) into a refugium or some kind without major DIY? I can’t and don’t want to drill anything, but any other solutions are welcome.

Hell even if I just put chaeto/macro algae in it and submerge and cover with egg crate so it doesn’t go everywhere in a high flow area I’m happy.

 

[Doctorgori]

There are a few vids & post on this ... check google & youtube try red sea reefer reservoir to refugium conversion
there are many ...here is just one

 

[laezur]

There are a few vids & post on this ... check google & youtube try red sea reefer reservoir to refugium conversion
there are many ...here is just one

I know but this is exactly the type of drilling and plumbing I don’t want to do just yet as mentioned in the main post. Just looking to get an area in the tank I can keep and light the chaeto withought doing all of that for now. Main issue is just keeping it in the resovoir without it ending up in your return pump

 

[Doctorgori]

Just wondering how you might rig that up without some type of gravity feed (w/o drilling) …siphon of some type? or maybe remove that 1/4 plastic tube thingy somehow so you could get a more realistic outflow

 

[laezur]

Just wondering how you might rig that up without some type of gravity feed (w/o drilling) …siphon of some type? or maybe remove that 1/4 plastic tube thingy somehow so you could get a more realistic outflow

Honestly not a clue.. lack of experience in drilling just makes me want to find other solutions first.

I also had the idea of taking the media basket out of an old tidal 75 and using that in the sump, so I tried it and as soon as I plugged it in the fuse blew I think. Massive popping noise, so won’t be trying that lol!

 

[Doctorgori]

I’ve drilled hundreds of tanks, yup hundreds (OK maybe “Dozens” ha ha)
But honestly I dont like standing there for 10 minutes holding a drill steady either
…but it might be your only option ….
Red Sea ATO res aint cheap, so I get the risk, but that glass aint thick neither…odds are you will be successful..maybe 3/4” bit fromAmazon and a Lifegard bulkhead/strainer from same….