Refugium ideas

[Gluestick]

Hey guys, I have an AGA model 3 sump on my 90 gal megaflow, and I want to add a refugium to the whole setup, seperately from the sump, there's no room for one in there. I have enough room for a 10 gal aquarium under there to use as a refugium. I am new to the concept and I haven't done DIY before, so any sites or pics you guys have of your own DIY fuges would be awesome. I want to use this as a place to raise food for my fish and grow macro algae. I don't even know where to start, as far as how to plumb it to the sump or tank, so please explain in laymans terms! Thanks in advance for help!
Valerie in IL

 

[Fizzio]

I am thinking of doing the exact same thing and don't know if you would use a powerhead to pump water into fuge from sump and then another to pump water from fuge to main tank or use overflow box from either into fuge and then pump water back to display...looking for help also

 

[Pbrown3701]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7370893#post7370893 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fizzio
I am thinking of doing the exact same thing and don't know if you would use a powerhead to pump water into fuge from sump and then another to pump water from fuge to main tank or use overflow box from either into fuge and then pump water back to display...looking for help also

You never want to pump into and pump "out of" a single vessle. You will be depending on the pumps opperating at exactly the same flowrate. What will happen in the real world (outside of pump flowrate claims) is that you will either pump in faster or slower than out. You will thus, overflow or empty your fuge.

 

[Fizzio]

I hear you so then what or how do I get water into refuge from sump or tank and then from fuge to tank..not sure what to do

 

[gvibes]

I am planning on doing the separate refugium thing.

I am going to have a small powerhead pumping out of the pump into the refugium. I am going to drill the regugium and put a ghetto upturned 90 degree piece of PVC in there as an overflow back down into the sump.

Of course, I will need to elevate my refugium to do it this way, but that won't be a problem.

 

[Pbrown3701]

That is the best way. That way, "stuff" doesn't have to go through a pump to get back to the main tank. If elevating your fuge isn't an option, then you can have your tank drain into your fuge (from an overflow) and pump back, OR you can have your fuge "overflow" into your sump (if that is an option).

 

[pettee86]

Here is what I did.
Placed a 20g next to display. Fuge is drilled and overflows back into sump. Water is supplied by the return from the sump.

Pic is when I was first setting up the tank. The lower ball value is now plumbed to pump water to the fuge. Have a Mag 18 as return, low flow going into the fuge.
Setup is much cleaner now than when these pics were taken.

 

[Bri Guy]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=84848&thumb=1

Not my pics but this is how mine is going to be set up. One drilled bulkhead overflows into sump, a hose could conect so it doesn't even have to be right next to it.