gravity return refugium questions

[nm reef]

tank specs:
55 gal..100 lbs lr..100+lbs ls..260 watt pc..80 watts no..cpr bacpac2r skimmer..tomato clown..red coris wrasse..coral beauty..assorted mushrooms and polyps..closed brain..red/green open brain..candy cane..star polyp coral..bubble coral..clean-up crew
Plan:
I've decided to install a gravity return refugium behind the wall from this reef in a semi-finished in-door work shop...My plan is to use a 37 gal rubber maid container that will sit approx 10" above the top of the 55 gal tank(refugium water line approx 10" above tank water line)..I will move water from the tank to the refugium with a fluidized sand filter that will move approx 70 gals per hour into the refugium...this flow will be fed into the refugium via approx 2' of clear tubeing(3/8 inch ID..no chambers or such in the refugium...return will be gravity return via approx 2' of 1" ID clear tube...in the refugium I plan to have approx 60 lbs natures ocean ls..30-40 lbs lr and assorted macro algae...eventually I'd like a non-predetator site for copepods/amphiopods etc....plan is to provide food source..additional water volume...and benefits of macro algae...lighting over this will be 1x40 watt no actinic blue .....
looking for comments and/or suggestions
I plan to have this up and running by late next week.....got some vacation time and plan to get this going around family outings......any help or suggestions as to the effectiveness or benefits of this project would be greatly appreciated......

 

[mr . salty]

Sounds like it should work perfectly.The only thing I would suggest is to use TWO one inch returns instead of one.Just to be sure there would be no chance of a flood. Or use one two inch return.Also,why use a sand filter???? I would think that will filter out alot of nutrients that you want in the refugium.Can you run it as a pump only??Without the sand in it??I look forward to hearing about how it turns out.And seeing some pics...GOOD IDEA,,GOOD LUCK.
[ July 08, 2001: Message edited by: MR . SALTY ]

 

[nm reef]

Mr. Salty....thx for the response......if you remember I bought a used 55 gal oceanic a few months ago....this sand filter came with that set up....right now its running on my 29 domino damsels detention center...
I do plan on running this with out any media and I've measured the out put to about 70 gal per hour.......will get pics as soon as I can.............will consider the return ideas....but was thinking that 1" return would be enough.......goin with 2 would be no problem......so far the pocket expense for this project is under 50 bucks........

 

[nm reef]

^

 

[nm reef]

Well now that wasn't soooo bad....got the gravity return refugium up and running......haven't added any sand or rock or calupera yet...but I thought I'd let it circulate for a while and add stuff to it as I go.....with-in a few weeks it should be ready for the macros that was the main reason for adding this.....wound up increasing the water by 30 gals and all for under 50 bucks.......whew...starting to feel like I know what I'm doing.........KNOCK ON WOOD

 

[broomer5]

NM reef,
What you're working on sounds really cool.
I read where you are using the 2 foot section of 1" I.D. clear tubing to allow water to gravity feed back to your display tank. Are you using an overflow or standpipe arrangment on the refugium ?
Very curious how you're doing this - may consider this as a project down the road here too
Brian

 

[nm reef]

Thx brommer......I've pondered this lil project for a long time and I'm convinced it will improve and stabalize my 55 reef
as for the returns actually neither.......what I did was use 2 1 1/4 " drain returns(like ones used to drain water in a drain pan...ones I got were for hot water heaters)....these I attached to my 37 gal rubber maid container..the hose slips inside these fittings.......then I siliconed outside very well....the hoses are at the water line (approx 4" from top of container).....water flows in as refugium fills.......sw is moved from display by a hagan power head that is pumping approx 60-70 gals per hr.....been set up over night and is working fine(so far).....
What I need now is a 4-5 inch sand bed & some macro algaes.......may take a while to get it matured but I believe it'll be benefical.......jeeeeeezzzzzzzzz who knows I may one day add a mandarine to my coral beauty/tomato clown/juv coris wrasse....

 

[broomer5]

Sweeeeeeet !
Sounds good and thanks for the additional info - I see now
Brian

 

[mr . salty]

When you are ready to add rock,go to your local store and ask for "rubble rock". These are the small broken pieces that they have a hard time selling.I got about 15lbs of this from a local store that almost gave me the stuff.Works great in a refugium.I also added my sand right away.I just got some cheap aquarium sand,,But now it is thriving with life.Also ask them about the algae.I didn't pay for any of mine.

 

[nm reef]

yup Mr. Salty.....rubble is exactly what I plan to use........one of my 2 lfs normally have plenty on hand and I plan on 10-20 lbs....also am looking at some stuff from a cureing vat and approx 20-40 lbs of carib sea sand(seed it with approx 1 cup live sand from each of my 2 55 gal tanks)...problem I'm currently having is source of caulpera.......
by the way the gravity return has worked out gr8.......level in tank and refugium stays constant.......and is working well......added almost exactly 30 gal to current 55 gal tank......so volume increase alone is an improvement........