Aloha,
My advice would be not to do it. IMO, a 30 gallon tank is just too small to be messing with a sump/refugium. (Yes, there are many out there, so I'm not saying it cannot or should not be done.)
I have done many 30 gal tanks and even 75 gal tanks without Sump/Refugiums (and no skimmers
). The key to making these successful is in the biology. Biology is
awesome. It does marvelous things in nature and can do just as
marvelously in our little aquariums if we encourage it. It starts with algae. The basis of all life is algae.
Also,
because the tank is not drilled, a HOB Overflow would be required.
These can be problematic. The
risk is that tank water floods onto the floor. Spouses tend to get
really bothered with salt water on the floor.
I may have been the first hobbyist in Utah to set up a Refugium (it had a HOB Overflow
) and I still find the Refugium to be
a very successful technique, but in recent years my situation just did not allow for
sumps, so I developed ways to go sumpless. Here are pics of just a few
of my sumpless, skimmerless aquariums.
If you decide you still want to develop your sump/Refugium idea, I have done many HOB Overflows. I could show pics & plans and describe how to minimize the risk of flooding. Let me know.
I also try to keep things simple. The less complicated, the less risk of failure. My refugiums also follow the KISS principle. Click here for the
simple Refugium thread which is also listed in the Reefkeeping Tips.
Have fun and let us know how it goes.
Mark
808-345-1049 call/text/visit anytime
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