Originally Posted by
CAM78
http:///forum/post/3205043
so do sump to refuge then from refuge to a third container the pump from there to display? What is the point of the third container? Thank you for your input.
Nope. main overflow from DT comes into basement (hardline PVC). Splits, with a ball valve on each (allows you to control flow). Main, larger overflow line drains into the first seperate chamber (this chamber is the a rubbermaid or glass tank (think a five to 10 gallon container full of LR, with a blue filter pad covering top, so anything large coming through overflow catches on the filter pad). Drill this container and set up a L line so that the lowest level if the system shuts off is close to the top. Water dumps through a distribution set-up over the top of the filter pad, dumps into the tank and is filter over the LR, when it fills it overflows and gravity feeds into the first sump chamber (seperate tank). The first sump chamber contains the in sump skimmer. Seperate 1st chamber from second with dual baffle system to prevent air bubbles. 2nd chamber of sump holds your return pump if you do a in sump return pump. If you use a external pump, the pump can either be set up so its plumbed to this bubble free chamber or you can simply drop a suction hard line into this chamber from the external pump with the pump sitting up on a platform beside the sump.
Fuge is your seperate 55 gallon tank, drilled and plumbed with an overflow. Sits higher than the sump so it also gravity feeds into the return chamber of the sump so that pods are swept in the water and returned to the DT via the return pump without being sucked into the skimmer. The second smaller T off your main DT overflow provides the flow into the fuge (flow rate regulated by the ball valve), and gravity allows it to overflow into your sump. You'll have to do an overflow so the Fuge doesn't empty into the sump when the power fails or is shut off.
I'd draw you a diagram, but cant download it from home. Won't be back to better internet connection till Monday.
Water changes are totally easy to perform. Shut off the ball valve to the fuge, drain out whatever volume you want to change out from the fuge, refill and restore flow. no draining of DT to perform water changes.
FYI, Joe's seperate fuge is set-up on the same level as his sump, not quite the same system as you are going for.
Why the seperate chamber for LR? More water volume in the whole system and more room for LR potentially. You could accomplish something very similar with a 3 chamber sump, 1st chamber LR rubble, second chamber skimmer and third chamber return line; thus eliminating the need for a seperate container. But at the cost of water volume and water holding capacity in your sump.
Oh yeah, chances are good you'll have to additional powerheads in the fuge in order to keep that large volume of water moving or you're going to have issues with cyano.
