Ideas for Refugium setup

[bryanr]

Hello all, I'm in the process of finishing my basement and in the process I'm going to make a fish room for the sump etc. I'm wanting to do a separate refugium and place it above the sump. The tank is a 240 (8'x2'x2') with a 125g sump. The tank will have a heavy load with a couple of triggers, an eel and a dogface puffer. Would love to see some pics of how you did your sump and get a recommendation on size.

 

[Subsea]

The general consensus is that anything helps and the bigger the better. I have used refugiums for almost 40 years. I have had good success with a 2/1 ratio. I also have had good success with the Eco-System mud filter as a refugium.

With a 125G sump, why are you considering a seperate tank at a different level for your refugium. With such a large sump, why not include refugium in this large sump?

 

[bryanr]

Thanks for the response, I like a few aspects of having a separate refugium. The added water volume, being able to shut it down to change mud/let it settle and to keep the sump open for equipment (skimmer, reactors etc).

 

[Subsea]

Operating multiple tanks at multiple levels is asking for trouble particularly when the power goes out or a snail blocks a drain line.

If this is your desire, then run sump and refugium in parellel. This will require two seperate pumps with two seperate return lines. I would also suggest two seperate drains from display tank each with its own seperate valve. Good luck on your design.

 

[bryanr]

Bump anyone have a pictures of their separate refugium setups?

 

[Four drachma]

I'm about to set up a 90 gal refugium and I don't see why you can't place it anywhere you want. As long as it's treated as a separate system and just sharing the sump. I plan on having a low flow pump moving water from the sump through the refugium and then at least two smaller overflows returning to the sump.

 

[bryanr]

Yeah, I haven't totally ruled out my original idea, but would still love to see some pics of how folks have done theirs. Especially in a "fish room"

 

[vlangel]

I had this system set up and it never caused a problem with flooding. All 3 tanks had their own return from the sump and all 3 tanks also had their drains into the same sump. I made sure when the system was running it was never over the high water line so that all 3 tanks could drain in the sump without overflowing it, and it never did. I did have to use an ATO because I only had about 1 and a half inches until the return pump would run dry. The 30g XH was my display fuge for the 36g bowfront reef. The 10g was a temporary seahorse nursery for fry and could easily be removed from the system. Anyway, it worked well. I will try to find a sump photo but the sump is mostly my huge skimmer.

 

[vlangel]

I am sorry if this pic doesn't really show you anything. The big return pump Ys off into 2 returns and one went on each bigger tank. I added a small Rio 800 for a return for the 10g nursery. All 3 tanks have HOB overflows with drains into the sump. Anyway, it worked.

 

[bryanr]

Thanks, that helps. I do plan on a smaller return feeding the refugium. depending on the size of the tank I end up with. I'm looking at a deep blue frag tank I saw on craigslist, but it might be sold.