An experiment

[tapeworm]

Ok, this is just an experiment.
The goal is to keep the tank as clean as possible with minimum nitrates. This is a 55 gallon glass,
The rocks are setup on top of egg crate platform, suspended about an inch off the bottom. A long pipe running across the bottom is blowing all the detritus through the egg crate back into suspension. This setup should keep the tank free of detritus.
Two overflow boxes, one going to a refugium and the other going through a skimmer and a wet dry. The refugium drains through a U-tube into the pump area.
I will run it like this for a while, report back I am cycling 75 pounds of Tonga right now.

 

[tony detroit]

Sounds like a good plan. Do you have any type of rotating returns or wavemakers you can hook up?

 

[tapeworm]

I think I will hook up dual SEIO powerheads on a wavemaker.

 

[pyro]

Sorta like an UGF in reverse with the eggcrate? Hmm, be interesting to see how it works :thinking: . Looks good - I like the two seperate overflows - is each one made for 2X flow of return pump?

 

[tapeworm]

I have learned not to believe pump ratings anymore.
The 950 is replacing a 660. The 660 couldnt keep up with just overflow and the 950 is overpowering two over flows.
The system is stable as it is, so go figure

 

[tbrod]

Funny we both posted the same thing within minuites of each other, here is mine from my posting. Any thoughts. ??

 

[tapeworm]

hey throd
Basically, I put a separate overflow into the refugium in order to get more raw water on there. You can put a valve on the over flow to slow down the flow if you want.
The other thing I did was a U tube to move water from refugium to pump area. That way I dont use another pump.

 

[tbrod]

On the purple tube in the picture what I was going to do was just drill a hole in the side of the acrylic tank used for the refugium and have a hose running back to the sump, since the hole on the refugium is a higher elevation, the water will always naturally flow back just as fast as it is pumped in.
And the green hose running the water from a powerhead from the sump to the refugium can be controled by the flow on the powerhead itself of a valve on the hose.

 

[tbrod]

I just got looking at your diagram, I like the two overflow idea, but I would reconsider the U tube to move the water from the refugium back to the sump. If for some reason you lose syphon on the U tube, your pump will still be pumping water back into your tank and in turn will be filling your refugium which may overflow. And not sure about putting a valve on the overflow, if they are overflow boxes, you will have to make sure you dont restrict the flow too much, cause once the syphon is created, and water starts flowing , will it not keep going over into the overflow even if you have it slowed down with a valve, meaning it would go over the edge.
Please, correct me if I am wrong.