Need help designing a 'fuge

[am944]

Hello all, I want to add a refugium to my current set up. Currently I have a Marineland 125g long tank corner drilled. As of now I have both of the corner overflows plumbed together to flow as one inlet into my sump which is in the stand. For my sump, I have a Eshopps RS-200. Then the water goes through a filter sock and into the sump main area. The only thing in the main chamber is my protein skimmer, a Reef Octopus 160. And then the water flows through the bubble foam thing and back into the tank via a Mag Drive 12 or 18 (I'm at work and can't remember). The return line is split to each corner. I was thinking about just buying an acrylic fuge and putting it in the other side of the stand, drilling both of the sumps for a bulkhead, and then plumbing it together. The only thing I'm not sure of is how to plumb it together and if my idea is good or not. Please let me know what you all think!

Thanks!


Alan

 

[am944]

Any suggestions guys? To be more specific, how do those with separate refugiums transfer the water to and from the refugium? What flow rate would you suggest through the refugium? Is there any advantage to plumbing the refugium separately from the tank but still putting the bulkhead in as a safety back-up? Thanks for any advice!

 

[jcw]

Maybe this will help

I have a siphon overflow on the right side of the display tank.

Water drains down to the refugium on the right.

The refugium is drilled on the left side to drain into the sump.

I have since modified it so that the fuge drains across to the skimmer side of the bubble trap to minimize microbubbles in the return section and in the DT. Added a strainer to the fuge drain. And added one emergenrcy standpipe drains from the fuge to the sump and an emergency overflow drain from the sump to a basement drain.


Power has been off and on several times and so far no floods.

 

[am944]

That does help. What size line do you have on your overflow for the refugium? This will give me an idea as to what flow rate you're running. Thanks for the pics and the help! It'd be awesome if I could maybe see a close up of what's going on too! Thanks!

 

[jcw]

1" PVC but I've got the valve partially closed.

I think for drains and such, if water isn't pumped by a pump, they should be at least this large.

I'll head downstairs and take some pics.

 

[jcw]

From the siphon overflow to a 1" valve.

Under the stand and through a bulkhead in the top of the refugium.

Down a downpipe to the a 90 degree at the bottom of the tank.

Out a strainer on the left side of the tank. Next to it is a 90 deg elbow standpipe.

Across the sump to the skimmer side of the bubble trap. The emergency standpipe just dumps straight into the return section of the sump.

 

[jcw]

After reading about Randy's LARGE refugiums, I pumped a 55 gallon water container in a similar way.

Siphon overflow on the left to a 1" valve.

Across the back wall to a nearby closet.

up through a bulkhead near the top of the 55 gallon container.

down a larger diameter vinyl hose to the bottom. drain through a durso pipe drilled about mid tank. back out through the wall.

And back into the skimmer side of the sump.

 

[am944]

wow, thanks! That really helps!