DIY Sump/Refugium Comments

[falconut]

I have a 45 gal. FOWLR Pentagon corner tank. I wanted to remove my Magnum 350 filter and go with a sump/refugium. I was limited to 9" wide x 20" long as my maximum size. I couldn't find anything that would fit that was cost effective. I decided to use 2-5gal. tanks. The tanks are 8.5"w x 16"l x 10.5" deep. I siliconed baffles into the tanks and tested for leaks. They will be tied together using a siphon tube. Both sides of the siphon tube will be located in a baffled area, that will keep the siphon regardless of the tank water levels. I have attached a diagram of my design. Any comments would be appreciated, good or bad.

[falconut]

I can't figure out how to attach a .bmp file. I selected the file and it doesn't post it?

[sesegal99]

I'll post it for you falconut........

[falconut]

Here is the picture, I think.

[crescent1]

i think your asking for troube with the u tubes.

[falconut]

I can't drill the glass, so I don't know of any other way around the 'U' tubes. Any suggestions? The overflow box is an amiracle, so it came with the 'U' tube.

[gixxerrder1371]

Get or borrow a dremel and drill the 5 gal tanks that way . . . works like a charm . . i did it on my 36 BF and sump . Do a search for dremel + drill or somthing and see whatcha get . .

GL
Gixx.

[thedogofwar]

I suggest not trying to drill a 5G, glass is pretty thin. I broke 2 10G trying it.

What's the diameter of the U-Tube? What GPH will you be feeding the fuge? You might consider a PH tapped into the U-Tube to help maintain siphon.

even better is the Oscar pump that CPR recommends for use with their overflows. It's a nice piece of mind for $15 and it has enough power to actually restart a loss in siphon.

I'm concerned you'll have microbubble issues with that type of turnover in such a small sump.

[gixxerrder1371]

With a dremel you can drill any thickness glass with some patience . . I practiced on 1/8 in HomeDepot glass when i first started and never broke it once .

And puting a powerhead on the siphon tube is a VERY VERY unwise thing to suggest. The chances of the powerhead maintaining the correct flow is non existant. If you are going to use the U tube just set it up like an overflow . . with the ends of the tube sectioned off and one tank slightly higher then the other . . maybe prop it up with 2x4 blocks or somthing. Should work fine with the U tubes asuming no snails or anything are down there to clog them.

Either way your on the right track . . The setup looks pretty sound to me.

Gixx.

[thedogofwar]

Originally posted by gixxerrder1371
With a dremel you can drill any thickness glass with some patience . . I practiced on 1/8 in HomeDepot glass when i first started and never broke it once .

And puting a powerhead on the siphon tube is a VERY VERY unwise thing to suggest. The chances of the powerhead maintaining the correct flow is non existant. If you are going to use the U tube just set it up like an overflow . . with the ends of the tube sectioned off and one tank slightly higher then the other . . maybe prop it up with 2x4 blocks or somthing. Should work fine with the U tubes asuming no snails or anything are down there to clog them.

Either way your on the right track . . The setup looks pretty sound to me.

Gixx.

I'll stick by my experiences. I was .25" from finishing the holes when they split the glass. Others have completed the hole only to find pressure of a BH or the water is enough to crack it. Your testing on a piece of glass is not a real world scenario.

The PH doesn't have to match or maintain flow of anything, this water is returning to the sump from the fuge, it makes no difference, it is a good solution.

[gixxerrder1371]

The powerhead has to match the flow of the nozzle letting water in the sump otherwise you will either loose siphon (powerhead to fast) or overflow the fuge (power head to slow) GL getting it right.

Weather or not you can get it to equalize is irrelevent because as long as the Fuge is elevated above the sump and there are deviders sectioning off the end of the U tube you will NEVER loose siphon . . power outtage or not.
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That pic is the overflow with the pump to tank in the sump on the right. As long as there is a divider from the U tube area to the tank area that prevents the bottom of the U tube from ever coming out of the water you wont ever loose siphon.


Gixx.

[gixxerrder1371]

Gah picture didnt come out right . . . you get the point though.

[thedogofwar]

For starters I'm not talking about attaching the complete PH to the tube, just the airline tap. You are right in that manner but I don't think theres a PH made thats going to pull more (through the tap) than he is supplying to the fuge. Even if there is, you don't use one that large!

Secondly, as long as the outlet to the siphon aid (PH) is in the fuge, it would never matter anyway.

Lastly, air is known to collect in a U-tube if the velocity of the water isn't great enough, so you surely can lose siphon no matter what the elevations.

[thedogofwar]

Originally posted by thedogofwar
For starters I'm not talking about attaching the complete PH to the tube, just the airline tap. You are right in that manner but I don't think theres a PH made thats going to pull more (through the tap) than he is supplying to the fuge. Even if there is, you don't use one that large!

Secondly, as long as the outlet to the siphon aid (PH) is in the fuge, it would never matter anyway.

Lastly, air is known to collect in a U-tube if the velocity of the water isn't great enough, so you surely can lose siphon no matter what the elevations.

to ensure we are on the same page, I am reffering to the tube between the fuge and sump

[gixxerrder1371]

I see your point when you put it like that but it sounded at first as though you were saying to put a powerhead on the end of the Utube to pull or push the water through the Utube . . With a small fuge like that it wouldnt take much to overpower it with a powerhead.

Putting a powerhead sucking the air out of the arch of a Utube sounds like a very good safeguard I did this method with my sold arch overflow on my first aquarium and just ran the airline tube to a reducer attached to the intake of a powerhead.

Never had air buildup in a Utube, that would suck.

Thanks for the clarification sorry if came off rude . . just was "apauled" at the idea of a powerhead pushing/pulling water through a Utube.

Gixx.

[thedogofwar]

Originally posted by gixxerrder1371
I see your point when you put it like that but it sounded at first as though you were saying to put a powerhead on the end of the Utube to pull or push the water through the Utube . . With a small fuge like that it wouldnt take much to overpower it with a powerhead.

Putting a powerhead sucking the air out of the arch of a Utube sounds like a very good safeguard I did this method with my sold arch overflow on my first aquarium and just ran the airline tube to a reducer attached to the intake of a powerhead.

Never had air buildup in a Utube, that would suck.

Thanks for the clarification sorry if came off rude . . just was "apauled" at the idea of a powerhead pushing/pulling water through a Utube.

Gixx.
NP, Glad I didn't get rude before I understood what you were meaning. ;)

yes it does suck! I was running two U-tubes just because I like to double up on everything, especially when it had to do with floods. Using the 2 tubes lowered the velocity of the water enough that some bubbles would stop and this accumulation over time, would get to the point that the flow was reduced to less than the return pump was supplying. Thats why I asked for the dimeter and GPH he was planning to run. I solved this problem with the PH at first, only to be upset at the microbubbles being blown into the display. I couldn't place the PH in the sump or fuge because in the event of a power or supply pump failure, gravity would take over and continue to siphon the water from the overflow boxes until they were empty. Thats why I purchased the Oscar. it's a nice little pump that can't backflush and won't blow bubbles everywhere.

[falconut]

Thanks everyone. Both siphon tubes will be the amiracle 'U' tubes, about 1" dia. and I'm not sure how much flow I will have go thru the Refugium. I will have to experiment with the flow. Thanks again.

[jklaw]

i want to build a 75 or 90 gallaon fuge. can i drill a hole safely in an all glass aquauium in that size? also, would it be better to get the predrilled overflow kit, im concerned becuase the holes are in the bottom on the predrilled and im not sure if it will flow back into the sump properly. i want to put a pump in the sump and have it overlow back into the sump,
thanks, i hope this isn't the wrong thread to post this message

[jklaw]

oh, the sump and the fuge both need to sit on the ground about 8 feet apart

[gixxerrder1371]

Just wanted to add that a 10 gallon AGA aquarium is perfectly safe to drill . . . The LFG near here has like 20 of them drilled on the side and plumbed with Bulkheads. Not one of them looks like its gonna crack.

Gixx.