Question on External Refugium

[aqua5]

I have a 40 breeder softie/lps reef and want to add an EXTERNAL refugium. I have a berlin style sump (drip plate) with no room for a refugium. Would it be possible to get a "T" fitting attached to my overflow bulkhead and from there have one line go to the external refugium and one go through the sump with skimmer? I am running a Mag 7 return and would need another return pump from the refugium to return to the display. Is this plausable?

Thanks

[davidryder]

Here is how that could work:

1) One pump in the sump returning water back the tank.
2) The "T" fitting would service the sump & refugium
3) The refugium would have to drain into the sump

If you get another pump you will never be able to match the pumps return rate with the overflows drain rate... you will end up with a flood.

Another alternative would be to have a small mag 5 or even mag 3 in your sump pumping water to the refugium. The refugium would drain back to the sump. If you do this however you will probably have to turn the sump into a refugium also, or at least provide a place for pods to colonize. I ran a display refugium for about 2 1/2 months and never saw any pods in the main tank. I figured they were dying in the sump as it was dark 100% of the time and they had no place to colonize.

I added some live rock and macro in the sump and now keep it lighted 24/hrs and pods are everywhere now

Some pics I took tonight to maybe help explain:


^^^The flex line is the mag 5 going to my refugium. The hard PVC line in the back is the drain line FROM my refugium


^^^Just another angle of the drain line. Those ball valves are from the tanks overflow.


^^^This is the back of the refugium. You can see the flex line feeding the refugium and the hard pvc drain line on the bottom.


^^^Just an overhead shot of the back of the refugium

Does that make sense?

[aqua5]

Originally posted by davidryder
Here is how that could work:

1) One pump in the sump returning water back the tank.
2) The "T" fitting would service the sump & refugium
3) The refugium would have to drain into the sump

If you get another pump you will never be able to match the pumps return rate with the overflows drain rate... you will end up with a flood.

This was my fear, I know I wont do this now.

Another alternative would be to have a small mag 5 or even mag 3 in your sump pumping water to the refugium. The refugium would drain back to the sump. If you do this however you will probably have to turn the sump into a refugium also, or at least provide a place for pods to colonize.

Why would I need to turn the sump into a refugium also? The external plans to have Baffles for air bubles, Macro, few lbs of established rock, LS and lighting. My main purpose of the external was because I am very space limited in my Berlin.

I ran a display refugium for about 2 1/2 months and never saw any pods in the main tank. I figured they were dying in the sump as it was dark 100% of the time and they had no place to colonize.

I added some live rock and macro in the sump and now keep it lighted 24/hrs and pods are everywhere now






^^^This is the back of the refugium. You can see the flex line feeding the refugium and the hard pvc drain line on the bottom.


In this picture is seems as if the drain lines are bulkheads in the refugium, thus making the PVC drain inches under water, how do you deal with the back siphon incase of a power outage?

Does that make sense?

Thank you very much for that detailed response!

[aqua5]

BTW...There are questions I put in, in the midst of your quote.

[Nabob89]

There are also HOB fuges like the CPR aquafuge....not tons of room, but is easy to setup and has enough space for LR rubble, sand, and cheato
Here's mine:

[aqua5]

Thanks Nabob, I have considered those but due to lack of space decided not to use one.

[2farNorth]

I did basically the same thing Davidryder did.... but I drilled my external 'Fuge' and installed bulkheads..... it is fed by a Quiet one 3000.... seems to work good so far!!
Here is an pic from a while back....

[davidryder]

Originally posted by 2farNorth
I did basically the same thing Davidryder did.... but I drilled my external 'Fuge' and installed bulkheads..... it is fed by a Quiet one 3000.... seems to work good so far!!
Here is an pic from a while back....

I like that design... did you get any gurgling with that drain?

[2farNorth]

Actually the drain on the 'Fuge'.. no.. I have caps that I was going to put holes in, that I never put on.... I overbuilt the drain going back to my sump.. didn't want any accidents... 2 - 1"bulkheads.. draing into 1 1/2" pipe.. But only 600 gph flowing through!

but then again.. I never worry about noise... You walk in to my fish room (behind the in-wall tank) and there's the Air Cond., fans, gurgling from the sump. Skimmer sucking air.... When it's quiet, I know somethings wrong!!!