its drilled

[ReefArtist]

Hey mflamb, I've seen the refugiums both ways - Skimmer - Refuge - return and then skimmer - return - Refuge. But what would make the difference really between the two? I have mine Skimmer, Refugium then the Return but that's just the way I like it. The water from the skimmer flows into the refugium which gives me flow and the older water from the refugium goes to my return area. Here's a pic:

If I had my return on the other side my skimmer water would not go through the refugium at all. Now I'm a little confused in that is this a good thing or not. The only flow would be the 30 percent from the tank going through the refugium, would this be enough flow? Just trying to understand different designs and different ideas.

 

[mflamb]

If you look at my last 2 pics, you can see my setup. I have some water (which will be controlled to about 20%) going into the fuge which flows into the center return section, and the rest flowing into the skimmer section. The reasoning behind this is that I want unskimmed water going to the fuge to provide nutrients for the algae and pods I want to cultivate there, and so the pods that flow ot of the fuge go to the tank and not to the simmate collector. If I skim the water and then let it flow into the fuge there will be minimal if any nutrients available for the fuge.

 

[ReefArtist]

I see, that the reason I put a tee into my output from the tank. I have 70% going into the skimmer area and then 30% directly into my refugium area. This way I'm hoping the 30% will have the pods, nutrients etc. So I think we're doing the same thing just have the sections placed differently. Or am I just not getting it? I'll study your pics and see if it clears things up for me. I have to run out for a few hours then I'll check it out. Thanks a lot mflamb for having the patience with me.

 

[mflamb]

No problem...the only concern I have with your sump/fuge flow is that I think you're missing the reason it's called a refugium (a place of refuge). The pods don't migrate from the tank to the fuge. In the tank, any openly available pods become fish food. So if pods are to be plentiful in the tank, they must have safe haven to multiply (the refugium), they must have a food source (the 30% tank water you direct to the fuge), and a route back to the tank (overflow into the return section and pumped into the tank). If the fuge water is skimmed, pods go to the skimmate collector. If fuge water comes from the skimmer area with an efficient skimmer, your nutrient level going into the fuge will not be adequate to support a multiplying pod population.

 

[ReefArtist]

Ok - I had to draw it out to REALLY understand the difference. This is what I came up with:

#1 is a better design because most of the water from the skimmer is not going directly into the refugium. Tank water (30%) provides flow and nutrients and overflow from the return area will provide some water. I guess the water from the refugium area and the return area could go back and forth. This I would say the refugium has lower flow (30% plus some from return area). All in all it would be safe to say it's 30% tank water and maybe 30% return?

#2 is good but 70% the nutrients are being removed by the skimmer. The water source is 30% tank and 70% skimmer water. And not providing food for living creatures that are living in the refugium. This I would say has a faster water flow, because of the skimmer water coming in.

 

[ReefArtist]

Ok - I had to draw it out to REALLY understand the difference. This is what I came up with:

#1 is a better design because most of the water from the skimmer is not going directly into the refugium. Tank water (30%) provides flow and nutrients and overflow from the return area will provide some water. I guess the water from the refugium area and the return area could go back and forth. This I would say the refugium has lower flow (30% plus some from return area). All in all it would be safe to say it's 30% tank water and maybe 30% return?

#2 is good but 70% the nutrients are being removed by the skimmer. The water source is 30% tank and 70% skimmer water. And not providing food for living creatures that are living in the refugium. This I would say has a faster water flow, because of the skimmer water coming in.

 

[mflamb]

!!!!! #1 is the way to go. Only thing wrong with the diagram is the arrow pointing from the return area to the Refugium. The 70% plus the 30% equals 100% of the return volume of the return pump. NO WATER WILL GO FROM THE RETURN AREA TO THE REFUGIUM as long as the pump is running. I also would make the fuge area 4 inches less and add the 4 inches to the return area. It will make the return area less turbulant which means less chance of bubbles in the tank and it will take more evaporation to lower the water level the same amount in the return area, since that is the area where the water level will go down with evaporation.

 

[ReefArtist]

Cool mflamb - thank you so much. I put the flow going into the return from the refugium to see if you would go for it - NOT :thumbsup: . I'll clean it up and post the final drawing so that others can use if they like. Thanks again.

 

[mflamb]

LOL...You're killing me!!!

 

[CMcNeil]

YEY..........thanks to reefartist i was able to drill my pump intake hole tonight.this was the last hole to drill.now i can start to hook up all the plumbing,hopefully i will get it all glued up by this weekend.if all goes well i will fill it this weekend and pray for good things.i still would like to see my 6 way work with the dart,so if i get it filled,it will get tested.
here is me drilling the tank

and the finished tank with 5 holes

 

[ReefArtist]

Nice job checkinhawk! Now get that baby in there and test it! That's a maga drill, not the little baby one we used :fun4:.

 

[CMcNeil]

tyty.......i am sooooooooooooo ready to get water in it for testing.the drill i used is the only one that had a 1/2 chuck,but now that i think about it,your bit was 3/8 chuck.i didnt have to use the red monster,this isnt the drill to lock up on the glass with.if i lock with this drill it would of broke the tank for sure.

 

[ReefArtist]

That is a sweet setup. That hole looks huge and well I guess it should since it's 3 inches :bigeyes:. Did it seem any harder to drill?

 

[Pacific Reefs]

Nice work on that! If you can drill that you can just about do anything.

 

[CMcNeil]

no it was not bad to drill the big hole.i used a wood hole guide to start the hole then clamped the wood inside the tank to finish it off.took about 10 minutes to drill.like i said i was more worried about locking the drill up than anything.water test here we come

 

[mflamb]

Fabulous!!!!!!!