plumb refugium into overflow or return?

[launchnukes]

i'm plumbing my 120 and i'm going to do the split sump with refuge on left, skimmer area on right, and return in the middle. I've seen refugiums done a million ways and i'm wondering if i should run overflow (un skimmed) water through the refuge or should i T the refugium off my return pump. I've heard they can benefit greatly with detritus and stuff from the display tank (unskimmed un filter-socked water) but i'd like to skim as much water as possible.

which way seems to be best?

if i do plumb the refuge into my overflow do i need a clean up crew or anything or will the plants and pods and stuff eat everything?

thanks.

 

[rgun2515]

IMO... You don't want debris to enter your refugium if you can help it.

 

[qfrisco]

You can run a successful refugium either way - it really falls to personal preference. In my opinion, if your reason for running skimmed water to your fuge is to skim as much as possible - you won't realize that. No skimmer skims 100% of the water that goes through the skimmer section, but rather only a small percentage of it. Even if you decide to split your overflow, your skimmer not going to see any "less" water.

Personally, I split my overflow and run unskimmed water through my refugium. I have a cleanup crew in there that does a good job of keeping up with detritus. Works well. But like I said, your fuge will be just as effective taking in skimmed water.

 

[evsalty]

Like qfrisco said it is just personal preference although many will say the their way is the only way. Don't get pulled into that as there is always more then one way to run a successful reef tank.

I personally like as much of my water skimmed first. My water enters a small first chamber that houses the skimmer pump while the skimmer and it's output is in the second chamber. What ever the pump doesn't give to the skimmer overflows into the second chamber and then it all goes thru the first BT and into the sump refuge. I will be adding a stand alone chaeto only fuge soon and it will be fed off my return pump (manifold already has the extra output). In the in-sump fuge are my mangroves and an area for frags.