System design and plumbing planning help

AwesomeOceans

New member
Okay so I could use some help planning out the plumbing for my new system

So first let me describe the system: it is a 90gal display next to a 29 gal tank with a 20 gal long sump and either a 10 or 15 gal ATO. I also have a large HOB fuge that I don't know if I should use or not.

Zach.Attack6 sold me his setup which you can see here for a full list of my equipment. He was running the system on a siphon- which I don't trust, so I got both the 29gal and the 90gal drilled and I put in a 7.5" baffle in the sump for the skimmer to sit in a constant water level

So here are the various options that I'm not sure which to do in terms of design.
1) My original plan was to turn my 29 gal into a nice looking fuge/display
2) Turn the 29 gal into a half frag tank, half fuge- still as a display separated by egg crate
3) Turn the 29 gal into a full frag tank and use the HOB fuge
4) Turn the 29 gal into a full frag and partition part of the 20L sump as a refugium

Options for plumbing:
1) Have the display tank overflows fall into the skimmer portion of the sump. Have a waterfall into the rest of the sump- where I can keep some live rock and such and have the return pump. Have the return pump pump directly into the 90gal display. In the 90gal place a small (maxijet400?) pump to pump water into the 29 gal at a slow rate and have those overflows spill into the non-skimmer portion of the sump. (or into the skimmer portion?)

2) Have the display tank overflows fall into the skimmer portion of the sump. Have a waterfall into the rest of the sump- where I can keep some live rock and such and have the return pump. Have the return pump pump up and have a T-pvc pipe with a valve divert some of that return water into the 29gal. Have the 29gal overflows spill into the non-skimmer portion of the sump. (or into the skimmer portion?)

3) Have the display tank overflows fall into the skimmer portion of the sump. Have a waterfall into the rest of the sump- where I can keep some live rock and such and have the return pump. Have the return pump pump up and have a T-pvc pipe with a valve divert some of that return water into the 29gal for use as a frag tank. And then have another T-pvc piece with another valve divert some of the water into the HOB fuge which would then overflow directly into the 90gal display. Have the 29gal overflows spill into the non-skimmer portion of the sump. (or into the skimmer portion?) (This plan is depicted in a picture below)

4) Have the display tank overflows fall into the skimmer portion of the sump. Have a waterfall into the rest of the sump- which I can turn into a sump. Have the return pump pump up and have a T-pvc pipe with a valve divert some of that return water into the 29gal for use as a frag tank. Have the 29gal overflows spill into the non-skimmer portion of the sump. (or into the skimmer portion?)

You get the general idea of what my plumbing and fuge options are"¦ am I missing something and what is my best bet?
 

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If I were you I would look into getting a 30-40 gallon sump, that way you can have enough space to do a proper fuge and still have room for all the equipement. With two tanks draining to a small 20 gallon sump you will have to keep the water at half of the sump just to make sure there is enough room for the systems to drain when you shut the return pump off. I have never really liked the hob fuges, to complicated and bulky for the little filtration benefit you get, but they do make good pod breeders. As for where the systems drain into the sump, I like everything going to the skimmer section or even a completely seperate section before the skimmer, this is so any large particals can settle in a spot easy to clean. Skimmer section can be completely drained and cleaned alot easier than a refugium can.
 
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