hey broomer5 or anyone else

[johnnysalt]

I'm wondering about adding a 30g sump with refugium chamber to my 100g (w/overflow). I am wanting to have 4 chambers in the sump. 1st- skimmer and micron sock in the future. 2nd- refugium. 3rd- mesh screen to quiet overflow. 4th-return pump.
Can't I just add a ball valve to the return line until it's about 50-100 gph through the refugium and call it a success?!? I KNOW this is possible b/c I've SEEN people's refugiums like this....and they have little/no trates with a good bio load in the tank.
I know some of you have a separate refugium, and I have barely enough room for both a sump w/refugium and another sump for equipment, just didn't want to have all that space taken up by tanks/plumbing....and how loud are your sumps with skimmers and refugiums? My tank is in the living room....anything you added to quiet it? Padding on the inside of the doors?
Thanks for your responses!

 

[pat]

the sump/refugium in my 55 is more like what you are talking about, 1ts chamber was line in, bag, and skimmer lines, 2nd refugium and 3rd was return pump, works fine, very good levels, only noise is from an amiracle overflow, which i got 2nd hand, but i put a lid on it and its quieter, this time around i got a cpr overflow and it looks like its gonna be a whole lot quitier. ive been looking at like a mag drive 9.5, which sits right at 800 gph at 4 foot, will the bends in my return like take that 800 gpm down a little??? i hop so, bu no phurchases yet. whay size pvc is that good with, all the other brands said and that one was blank.

 

[mr . salty]

JONNYSALTI just realised something else about your Idea...What other form of filteration do you have in this 100gallon tank??? A sump running at that slow of a rate will not even come close to properly filter this tank...Not trying to put a stick in the spokes of your plan,,,Just trying to keep you from making a mistake...

 

[johnnysalt]

Ok, well then what options do I have to on slowing the gph down then? Also, remember that I have an extra 10g tank that I could fit below the tank if needed to use as a 2nd sump as in the pics above)...except that I want my 30g to house the refugium instead of the 10g.
My lfs guy said to slow down the gph through the refugium, I could add a T on the return hose and have some of the water going back up and some going back into the refugium....does that even make sense?? I'm confused! All ideas are appreciated!!