Remote refugium

[skidoctor]

I currently use a 29g as my sump. to make a long story short, there are no baffles. It houses a filter sock, live rock, a skimmer, return pump, and some naughty fishes and kenya tree. I have grown cheato well in the past, but I had a smaller skimmer and more room in the sump. I'll be setting up a remote refugium by taking whatever livestock and lr out and having the sump house equipment only. I am doing this for both, nutrient export and food for tangs and hopefully a new mandarin. The fuge will be fed by gravity from the DT. Question is whether I should have the fuge drain to my sump or should I set up a return pump to go directly back to the DT?

 

[blanden.adam]

Let it gravity feed into your sump. Why add more pumps to the system if you don't have to?

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I don't think you will be able to control drainage very well with two pumps from two sumps pumping to the main tank. They would need to be connected via some sort of static tube that would in essence make them one combined reservoir. You can very easily drain from the dt to the fuge which overflows to the mechanical sump, but I'm on the side of the fence thinking that I don't want to have my main plumbing attached to a place where I plan on cultivating stuff that likes to clog drains. I don't care for borrowing from my main pump either, so for<20w a maxi jet routed through you media reactors into the fuge can do a fine job; placed high in the sump, an overflow can be minimal.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I had to run one fed off of the main overflow and gravity fed back to the sump as recommended above. Make sure you valve it fore and aft to control rate of flow through the fuge. Also safeguard against overflow In case of pump failure by placing gravity feed back to sump, very high in the fuge. I also threw some screening over the effluent to the sump to prevent macro algae and critters from getting near the return pump. So basically, ditto to what the two above have said.

 

[skidoctor]

Thanks for the responses- I guess my thought was by returning the fuge straight to the DT I would be able to maintain a higher pod population in the DT. But I guess in retrospect, if they're in the system they will make their way everywhere. And I could always shake some macro in the DT to get them there.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Once they get established in a noticeable population in the fuge, I firmly believe the tank is appropriately inhabited as well. They just aren't as visible. I don't think it matters if you return to sump or DT. My old mandarin was the size of my thumb. It was diesel. Never saw pods in the tank, but I was pretty sure he AND my 6 line (who had a neck he was so huge) were getting plenty. Never saw them eat frozen either. Both obese and happy dining on pods.

 

[skidoctor]

My main issue is going to be the heights of all of the containers- dt, sump, fuge, barrell for ato. I was going to have a display fuge (37g- i just like the look of the mess), but 90RR obviously drains from the bottom. If gravity were to play its part I would have to set a tank on the floor and that's not too aesthetically pleasing. So I'm going to run everything to the basement where I can adjust the heights of the containers, having the fuge drain to the sump smoothly. I will drill the 37 for its overflow. I think I am going to make a manifold to split the DT drain 3 ways- one to fuge, one to sump, one to a reactor. Valves on each so I can adjust flow accordingly. I will plumb my ro/di system to a 50 gallon container to serve as top off w/ kalk.
Next question is if you had to choose one reactor, which would it be? I have run carbon and BRS ferric oxide passively and have had no issues. I was thinking of running these in the same canister as a mental upgrade. However, I am trying to make the stability of my tank as automated as possible. Dosing pumps are next on the list as it is a daily chore without, but would it be better to run a calcium reactor in order to keep cal and pH more stable, as well as helping with alk absorption?

 

[Capt_Cully]

Ca Reactors can be finicky. They are a great help, but might be over kill depending on your tanks demand. Is it heavily stocked with SPS? I think people go nuts trying to maintain Ca of 450-500. 400 is plenty. The reactor will HELP maintain this as well as alkalinity and pH, but in my experience, I like dosing 2 part. It is a bit more modular. I utilize kalkwasser as well to help provide stability with Ca, Alk, and pH. Some Aquariums, like my last one, or Gary Ms require every type of supplementation due to high demand. The highest demand type IME is a heavily stocked SPS aquarium. The growth and uptake by these corals is exponential. Further, as colonies grow, water volume decreases. This gives you less fluid to carry the volumes needed. That leaves one dosing, using kalkwasser, AND running a Ca reactor.

I digress from your original question, but does this help your thought process?

 

[skidoctor]

Thank you so much. I will be moving in the next 6 weeks and I am over-thinking the whole process now that I can utilize a plumbed basement. At very least I will finally be able to get my sump running out of my stand, which will be a marked improvement. The remote fuge, ato drum, reactors- these are all pipe dreams that I can actually accomplish with the new space. Whether they happen the day I move in, well, that's another story.
I have a mixed reef that is lps dominated with some clams as of now, but I can see what I need to do moving forward to go in the sps direction. I am fairly stable now, however I am dosing alk daily along with kalk. Calcium every other to third day. I raised mag to 1300 (working on getting it to 1400).Alk stays betweem 8-10, Calcium between 420-450. Everything is healthy and growing- other than a pink lemonade, meteor shower and superman monti that got hit with sweeper tenacles- but that's a whole different story. I'm finally happy with the way my system is running, the aquascape, the livestock- even the ones in the sump. I'm just hoping to move as quickly and stress free, and not have to do the whole thing over in order to add on upgrades in the future.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Capt, I think there are many questions about pumping to the dt from two separate vessels: top off will need to take place at two locations, how does one match the drain and return in more than one sump so water doesnt overfill or underfill, is it worth it spending the energy to run two pumps? I see it may not matter in regards to the op ATM.

 

[magdelan]

Here's how I used to run my fuge/sump setup

From the overflow upstairs gravity fed to the sump. From the sump, to the pump, and pushed up to a tee with a valve gated down to about 20% flow. Fuge was then gravity fed back down to the sump. The other 80% of the water that did not go to the fuge went back up to the DT.

 

[skidoctor]

Thanks for the picture- it puts thing in perspective. This was my original plan, which would allow mw to keep the fuge on the living room level.
By t'ing off of the return pump- did you see any effect of the water level in the DT?
Also, I have an extra Mag 5 which worked perfectly when i was running a 37g w/ 29g sump. I still plan on running the 29g sump, just adding the 37g to the system.
I think running everything down hill seems easier- DT to manifold split to three functions (fuge, sump, reactor, possibly a fourth for easy water changes). However, if I was to run everything up (sump to fuge at 20%- back to sump and 80% to DT), would it benefit me to run two seperate return pumps in the sump? One dedicated to the fuge, one dedicated to the DT? As of now my drain and return are a straight shot, no valves used. Yes, stupid of me, but this can all change in 5 weeks.

 

[magdelan]

There were no ill effects from running a Tee. I had it dialed down to around 20%. The Barracuda was pushing a lot of water.

 

[skidoctor]

Ah- Barracuda. I'm guessing that pushes more water than my mag 9. And unfortunately a new pump is not in the cards right now. But I guess both ways serve the same purpose. Thanks for everyone's help- I'm super excited to fianally set up my sytem that even resembles some of yours.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Just to clarify, you are going to run everything off of the return pump? 2 pumps makes me nervous. They can fail. If your system depends on an ancillary pump to keep water moving, an over flow incident is in your future. If you t off of the main overflow or the return line and the return pump fails, then you're covered.

Make sense?

 

[reefboarder]

You could run the fuge off gravity from the drain. That would provide more nutrient rich water than using what's already been filtered skimmed etc.....
Just valve it to jeep the flow low theough the fuge Then let the fuge drain into the return side of the sump. Most of the desired critters will pass through the pump unharmed.

 

[skidoctor]

Yes, I'm going to t off the main overflow via gravity. One to the fuge, one the the sump, one to the reactor. The fuge will drain to the sump return section via gravity. I will use valves to control the flow from the overflow. That seems the easiest and most fail-proof way in case of a pump failure. The extra mag 5 will remain in my mixing station. Two pumps scares me also.

 

[skidoctor]

I meant valves from the dt overflow to the manifold, then 3 valves controlling the flow to each- the fuge, sump and reactor. What are the thought on adding an extra outlet from the manifold for quick and easy water changes? Basically t'ing of to 4 outlets.

 

[reefboarder]

That would work right up until the water level wouldn't allow for any more water to be pumped to the DT, and water would stop draining. If I'm thinking about this the right way.

 

[acuario]

I'm sorry I don't have anything to contribute here except to ask if this could be put into a drawing to help those less knowledgable and new to all this to understand it better? Magdelan's photos really help too. Thanks!