Replacing Wet/Dry bioball sump with DIY Refuge

[watermydoing]

If I were to replace my Wet/Dry Bioball sump with a Refugium, how exactly does that transition need to happen?

I would plan on doing it during a water change.
Can I simply remove the original sump then place the refuge tank in it's place, fill it with my sand bed, live rock, cheato and a bottle of copeopods, then fill it with new salt water and just turn my pump back on when Im done cleaning and refilling the DT?

[worm5406]

Can you take some of the exiting sand from up top? and let some of the DT water go into it during water change? I see you already have some LR in the sump as it is.

If all that works then YES. Swapp it out.

[watermydoing]

My plan was to take the LR from the sump and put it in a bag or something and smash it with a hammer to make my own rock rubble to use to seed and place it on the bottom in the overflow entry on the far right.

I could also bottle some of the DT water as I remove it and then put it in the new refuge as well.

My existing sand bed isnt that thick, but Im sure I can grab a handful or 2 and add to refugium. Would that be ok? if yes, should I be adding new Live sand to refuge or get that refugium mud stuff?

My other issue is that when I set up the sump originally, I placed it in from the top of the cabinet when the tank was off. Now I can't remove the sump because of the black support brace in the center that you see in the pic.
I was hoping to add a 2x4 on either side of the support brace then hack sawing the brace in the center off so I can remove old sump and add new refuge, then using a metal bracket to reattach the center support brace back in.
Dangerous I know, but I have no other choice. If I leave enough room on the top and bottom of the support brace, I should be able to wood glue and reattach with a brace then remove the temp 2x4's on either side.
Ill have at least 20% of the water out of the tank when I do it to help lesson the load.

[worm5406]

Hammering it will be good but you risk what ever is in the middle coming out. Po4 or what ever. But it does work. Just be ready for some mini cycle.

Some people will be mad at me and I buy from the sites that make/sell the mud.. I DO NOT LIKE THE MUD and it will go fallow after a while.

Get like 3 cups of sand from the DT and seed the sand.

Yes use the DT water... but you have to replace it with something... hahahaha...

I would be afraid ... Can you get more out and maybe put a temp support peice in there?

[watermydoing]

I was thinking of using temp 2x4's as support while I perform the procedure.
:eek2:

As far as using my sand to seed the refuge, would I just buy new Live sand and add the old from the DT to the new?

[worm5406]

Exactly... take the new sand put it in the tank with water.

Take a few cups of the old sand and put it in there too. Right on top, dont mix it or anything. Make sure when you get the sample you get a good selection from the top middle and bottom, basically one scoop to grab all three at once.

Try your best to not let the sand dry out. It needs to stay moist and really covered with water.

[watermydoing]

thanks worm, Ill do that, say a prayer for my support surgery project.
Im still a ways away, Im having them cut my plexi baffles at work.

[worm5406]

Have you phone with you and a friend there to call 911 if needed.

[watermydoing]

My wife actually told me shes leaving the house with the kids the day it happens, shes afraid too.