How do you plumb a remote fuge?

[msn711]

I'm planning to set up a 40br next month. I've got an 18g rubbermaid that i want to use for a sump and a 20L that I'd like to use for a fuge. In theory, I want to the water from the tank to drain to the sump and then have some of the water from the return pump going back to the tank and some diverted to the fuge. Then I would need to pump water from the fuge to the display tank.

The problem is that I've never used hard plumbing, i.e. pvc, before. I've always used the vinyl tubing. So I have no idea how to technically do this. The other issue is that I don't want to drill anything. I want to make this as simple as possible with as little DIY as possible.

I've got a Mag 5 return. The stand is only about 2 ft tall and the tank is only 16" tall. What parts do I need to divert part of the flow off to the refugium? Is there some sort of T I can put on the return pump and then connect the flex hose to that? How do I connect those parts to the vinyl hose that I've been using? Do I need a larger return pump if I'm going to divert some of the water to the fuge? How do I determine what size pump to put in the fuge to pump water back to the display? Will having a pump in the fuge really cut down the number of pods that make it to the display?

I know that's a lot of questions, but I really need a detailed explanation on how to do this.

TIA

[lowrider24]

I have a similar set-up - a remote fuge on the other side of my wall to my 65 gallon reef. I used a simple PVC Tee with 2 ball valves to control the flow into the fuge/Reef tank. Put them after the Tee. The ball valve lets you reduce the current going to the fuge for a slower flow. Since my fuge and reef tank are about the same height on either side of the wall, I had to plumb the fuge return back into my sump. The return line sits over the return pump so any return water from the fuge goes in the reef tank via the return pump. I have a low shear Tunze pump as a main pump. It's a little easier on the critters that have to survive the ride through a pump. I used mostly vinyl but I do have PVC and barb fittings where I punched a hold through my wall. Could have used all vinyl. PVC is good if you have to make some sharp turns as vinyl can kink.
I have a CPR overflow on my fuge with an aqualifter but I'm going to have my fuge drilled and an internal overflow installed like the reef tank - reason being an external overflow will at some point in your life fail. Mine failed while I was on vacation.

[msn711]

Thanks a lot for that. I'm gonna have to work on my plumbing skills.