Neat Freak Filter Basket — Acrylic Refugium Box for Chaeto Mini or Large - Reef Casa

The Reef Casa Neat Freak is a laser-cut acrylic box that drops into the filter chamber of your all-in-one aquarium. It does two jobs: it keeps your filtration tidy, and it works as a refugium box.

The real problem it solves: pulling chaeto without redecorating your tank with it

If you grow chaetomorpha in your rear chamber, you know the drill. You reach in for a handful, the ball comes apart, strands take off in the current, the detritus trapped inside releases all at once, and you spend the next hour chasing macro algae around your display.

The Neat Freak lifts out in one piece. The chaeto stays in it, the detritus stays in it, you rinse it at the sink and drop it back. That's the whole job.

What the manufacturer states

• Custom made acrylic, laser cut
• Built to sit snug inside Reef Casa aquariums
• Lets you clean out the entire refugium
• Clear pane so light gets through
• Plenty of holes so water passes freely
• Designed to work with Reef Casa's Nova Refugium Light
• Contents: 1 Neat Freak filter box

Mini or Large: it isn't about tank size

The naming misleads, so look at the manufacturer's actual numbers:

• Mini — 6.7" x 3" x 5.12" tall. For the Pico and the Tide.
• Large — 6" x 3" x 10" tall. For the Studio, the Cube and the Laguna.

Notice: the Large is actually shorter than the Mini (6" against 6.7"). What changes is the height — double. Because the real constraint isn't your tank's volume, it's how deep its filter chamber runs. The Tide is a shallow tank: its chamber sits low, like the Pico's. The Studio, Cube and Laguna have deep chambers.

That's why the Tide pairs with the Pico here, while it pairs with the Laguna for lids. Trust the list, not the name.

What goes with it

• Reef Casa Nova Refugium Light — the manufacturer built the Neat Freak to work with it. No light, no macro algae growth; the box's clear pane exists precisely to let it in.
• Reef Casa Cube 15 — 15 gallon nano reef, takes a Neat Freak Large.
• Reef Casa Studio 12 — 12 gallon nano reef, takes a Large as well.
• Reef Casa Filtration Cover — to hide all of it once it's tidy.

Why buy it at ReefSolution

We are an authorized Reef Casa dealer. Secure shipping anywhere in Canada. Free shipping available depending on your order total.

Frequently asked questions

Which size fits my aquarium?

Mini for a Pico or a Tide. Large for a Studio, a Cube or a Laguna. Careful: this split is not the same as the one for lids and cabinets, because here what matters is how deep your filter chamber runs, not the tank's volume.

Can I actually grow chaetomorpha in it?

That's one of its two jobs. Reef Casa lists it as doubling as a refugium box, with a clear pane to let light in and holes for flow. You put your macro algae in and lift the whole box out when it's time to harvest.

Do I need a separate light?

To grow macro algae, yes — the manufacturer designed the Neat Freak around its Nova Refugium Light, sold separately. If you're only using it as a filter basket, no.