Hang On Back Designs

[Doug G]

Any pics of successful, slick hang on back designs? Seems hard to find.... and would be great for the standard medium sized tanks. I am not so interested in the sump designs, which dominate. I guess they are easier to improvise, but I had a sump refugium which was problematic to me, given the not-foolproof siphon overflow box, water draining noise, and humming laboring return pump.

I like the CPR Hang on Back refugiums, would be nice to transform into an ATS, using their acrylic box and lighting system, but maybe can't work. Just buying the refugium is so easy....

[routestomarket]

Not knowing your tank design I don't know whether this is of use or not but......

I read quite an interesting article from a link on this site where somebody had used a length of gutter at the back of the tank, which also shielded the back wall from light, which was capped at one end and ran back into the tank.

Seems like a very cheap and neat way of doing this and if you have the space under you hood may be an option. The good idea about this system too is that it piggy backs on your systems lights but much closer so no more pumps or lights required!

I think in the future I may have a play with this idea as no more room / lights / pumps required!

Anyway heres the link:

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/7-paul-baldassanos-40-year-old-reef

Hope this helps!

Keith

[SantaMonica]

Yes there is a need for HOB designs, but the thing is that they are much much much harder to DIY (almost impossible for the average person). They will probably have to wait until a pre-fab one is available.

[ChrisD]

As I see it the problem will be water level. I don't own a refugium but looking at them (and applying a modicum of common sense), their water level is increased over that of the tank by a power head pumping water in in order to allow a gravity feed back to the tank. The screen needs to sit above this water level so you may as well have a 'sit on top' screen. Any scenario where the screen goes behind the tank out of sight means the water level in the fuge has to be lower than the tank which means you are into a pumped return to the DT and a siphon to the fuge and all the 'problems' of a sumped set up (but missing many of the benefits).

Other issue would be lighting. You're already 5" away from the wall and would need to add at least another 1" (if t5s used flat against the fuge), more likely 2 to 3" in reality.

I hate being pessimistic or beaten by a problem but I don't see a sensible way past this one :cry:

[paul b]

Sorry for bringing up this very old thread but I just noticed this Forum and I saw my name mentioned with a link to a thread I posted in on RC.

My algae trough is not a HOB, it sits above the water, at the rear of the tank partially under the lights. Water is fed to it from a skimmer and the water flows the 5' across the trough and returns to the tank. It costs less then $10.00 to make. I don't remember when I installed it but I think it was about 8 years ago and seems to be working beautifully while using no electricity at all.
The tank will be running 39 years this March

[kcress]

WOW that easily exceeds the life of any other tank I've ever heard of. Congrats.