I'm in process of starting a display refugium. Reasons: macro algae for high nitrates and pods. Had a tiger tail sea cuc die somewhere under rocks and I went thru another cycle. Ammonia pretty much either down or 0-hard to tell as I'm still using prime. Nitrites 0 but nitrates between 20-30. Now I have bad cyano but that's another post....
My DT tank is a RSM c250 66 gal, the refuge is 29 gal and should be a good addition, and large enough (more than 50% of water volume which I estimate at 46 gal) to be useful.
dt is approx 37" long.
From end of tank to Wall approx 34"
From end of tank to front of refugium 20"
From floor to top of refuge: 50"
Main tank just under 60" with top of sump 4 inches lower
They sit kitty corner from each other. Can't attach a pic. Here's what I've come up with. Need feedback.
after much research, I've come up with 2 possibles for plumbing for my refuge.
#1. build up my stand with concrete blocks so the refuge is slightly higher than the sump in the main tank. This allows me to use a return pump in the main sump to the refuge. And then an overflow box back to the display tank.
#2 Keep refuge lower and try to figure out how to put an overflow on main sump (all in one) to drain into refuge and return pump back to main tank which means I need to partition off a sec. of refuge for the return pump
I've read that the first option is less prone to floods, because if the pump fails, no additional water is supplied to the refugium and only a small amt of water will continue to empty to main tank until overflow box is empty. But what if the overflow box fails on the refuge. Wouldn't the main tank pump keep pumping into the 29 gal refuge? And really flood?
Can a float be hooked up and how? Don't truly understand this part but I want NO flooding. Do I have to have my refuge have a much lower water level? I think my sump which is part of the main tank (all in one) holds 10-13 gal depending as it is kept 3 inches from surface to keep it from flooding if power goes off.
Also, how to adjust the pump to do a low flow to the refuge
I'd like to go with option 1 as I can get pods into my main tank without going through a pump.
Also, when I add a chiller, can I tee off the pump in the sump and split the water so most goes to the chiller and then some to the refuge who only needs 30 gal per hour flow rate. Hoping to get everything ordered and get the tank set up. Chiller has to wait. Using the twin fans on back of sump and ordered a couple more fans to us. Right now I have the top lip open with
a fan blowing on water.
Will set it up as a separate aquarium until I get plumbing done so it can start cycling. Plan to do a water change and use half that water to start it.
My DT tank is a RSM c250 66 gal, the refuge is 29 gal and should be a good addition, and large enough (more than 50% of water volume which I estimate at 46 gal) to be useful.
dt is approx 37" long.
From end of tank to Wall approx 34"
From end of tank to front of refugium 20"
From floor to top of refuge: 50"
Main tank just under 60" with top of sump 4 inches lower
They sit kitty corner from each other. Can't attach a pic. Here's what I've come up with. Need feedback.
after much research, I've come up with 2 possibles for plumbing for my refuge.
#1. build up my stand with concrete blocks so the refuge is slightly higher than the sump in the main tank. This allows me to use a return pump in the main sump to the refuge. And then an overflow box back to the display tank.
#2 Keep refuge lower and try to figure out how to put an overflow on main sump (all in one) to drain into refuge and return pump back to main tank which means I need to partition off a sec. of refuge for the return pump
I've read that the first option is less prone to floods, because if the pump fails, no additional water is supplied to the refugium and only a small amt of water will continue to empty to main tank until overflow box is empty. But what if the overflow box fails on the refuge. Wouldn't the main tank pump keep pumping into the 29 gal refuge? And really flood?
Can a float be hooked up and how? Don't truly understand this part but I want NO flooding. Do I have to have my refuge have a much lower water level? I think my sump which is part of the main tank (all in one) holds 10-13 gal depending as it is kept 3 inches from surface to keep it from flooding if power goes off.
Also, how to adjust the pump to do a low flow to the refuge
I'd like to go with option 1 as I can get pods into my main tank without going through a pump.
Also, when I add a chiller, can I tee off the pump in the sump and split the water so most goes to the chiller and then some to the refuge who only needs 30 gal per hour flow rate. Hoping to get everything ordered and get the tank set up. Chiller has to wait. Using the twin fans on back of sump and ordered a couple more fans to us. Right now I have the top lip open with
a fan blowing on water.
Will set it up as a separate aquarium until I get plumbing done so it can start cycling. Plan to do a water change and use half that water to start it.
