I have a 30 gallon sump and a model 100 sealife refuge

[aquapod24]

Hi everyone hope you all had a good thanksgiving! I was hoping for some advise. I have as you can see by the title a 30 gallon sump with a rio 17 return pump. Dual overflow box feeding water. I also have a sealife model 100 refugium that I figured I would use I figured why not more water volume. Only single over flow and a smaller rated rio return. Issue is the water level. I cannot sustain it. I can play with the overflow by lowing and raising it until I can get it right. It will stay okay for most of the day but towards end of the day either one will start holding more water causing the other to blow in air. I always catch it and go in with my cup fill the refuge and play with the overflow box again until I get it right. In the morning before I do anything I am at it again. I love the benefit of the added refugium but if I cannot get this correct then back to the sump only. Just a waste of mud and LS. Any suggestions? If I can't then sealife model 100 fuge for sale. I got it for $229 at SW reef plus mud and bio balls. Will sell for $120

 

[xmenx2dad]

So you are running the sump with a return pump and a fuge with a return pump?

 

[aquapod24]

Yes, I was thinking of setting it up like an auto top off. Not sure if that will work. Have sump fill refuge? Sump is the one that will eventually start filling up.

 

[aquapod24]

Also thank you Bill I appreciate all of your advise. I am still a rookie at this.

 

[aquapod24]

 

[aquapod24]

 

[xmenx2dad]

On my 55 i had the sump and fuge connected with a coupler. One drain into ea h. And one pump out of the sump. My new setup is similar where i have the fuge built inside of the sump with one return pump.

 

[AwwNuts]

Weird, i posted something on here via tapatalk and it looks like it was never posted.

Here's what i wanted to suggest Aquapod24,

Since you have a sump and fuge and you are running a pump on each, I have a great suggestion that will eliminate the need for you to run 2 pumps and have to deal with water level issues.

I would suggest for you to setup up your sump and fuge as a gravity feed setup and by doing so you will only be needing one return bump.

How you ask,

If your sump is your main tank in which the overflow dumps the water into, what you need to do is make a higher base for the sump to sit on and leaving the fudge where it is making it lower than the sump. Since you have raise the seating base of the sump it will now gravity feed the water from the sump into your fudge letting the water fill all the way to the return side. All you need to do is drill your sump and fudge, add a bulk heads on each tank and plumb with pvc. You can always add a ball joint valve so you could adjust how much water is being fed into the fudge.

By doing the above you are eliminating the use of a return pump which you save on electric, you eliminate the hassles of dealing with water levels in your display tank and water levels in both your sump and fuge and you have a great jointly working sump/fudge setup for years to come.

Gravity fed is simple and no hassle once so ever. Just ensure your sump base is at least mid height of your fudge for best results. the higher the better but this minimum height is pretty good.

If you ever choose to un-marry both tanks from each other all you need to do is add some pvc end caps on the sump and fudge bulk heads and you will be able to separate the two for other uses.

 

[Jmejia4]

Still thinking of selling sump?

 

[AwwNuts]

Theres another thread were he sold the sump

 

[Jmejia4]

Thanks