Need Refugium Help

I

irenicus

Guest
I wish to add a refugium to my 75 gallon tank. This would sit side bay side with my 75 Gallon. I have no idea how to "plumb" it so flows are right and I don't have a flood. I preferably do not want to drill the 20 gallon.
Basically I wish some of the water to be pumped to the refugium from the 75 gallon sump and to return from the refugium to the sump. Can anyone help? :nervous:
 
bigmac

bigmac

Member
If the fuge has an overflow on it you can just run the overflow back to the sump and also feed if with a powerhead or tee off from one of your return pumps....Lots of ways to skin this cat.
 
mburnickas

mburnickas

Member
Using a "tee" will reduce the pump gph a bit. I thought the same thing when I made mine so I used "y" to help reduce this.
 
I

irenicus

Guest
I don't want to do an overflow with this refugium.
I like your refugium mburnickas, but mine I'm going to display also. Would a y still work.
My setup will stand like in the diagram, i'm just want to have it plumbed so it would flood or drastically reduce my overflow.
 
mburnickas

mburnickas

Member
so if the fuge is up high (side-by-side) what is below the tank? I see a filter, skimmer etc, but what does that sit in?
I think bigmac is on the right track. You will need an overflow to flow in the fuge then to where you want. BUT I would not skim the water AFTER the fuge. It will take out the good stuf.
 
I

irenicus

Guest
Below the main display is a 30 gallon long aquarium, which acts as a sump.
Could I use a powerhead/pump to move the water from the refugium to the main tank in leiu of an overflow.
 
mburnickas

mburnickas

Member
sure- but I think we are back to round #1. How do you get the water to the ruge. I would like to see the water from tank go to your below tank skimmer etc, then to fuge and back to main tank.
Do you have LR & LS in main tank? If so, toss the bio-balls and get more room???
Just a though there. Why not kill the bio balls and use the 30 gallon for for fuge, skimmer then go back to main? Then you have (1) less tank on the side (more room).
 
I

irenicus

Guest
We like the look of shaving brush mangroves, culupera, etc. May add a couple of shrimp to the 20 long fuge.
As for the bioballs, i may remove them once i have more liverock. I have an aggressive set-up, so the more the better i think.
I would like to diver some of the water from my return line (mag 7 pump) and uses a powerhead or something to pump the water back to the main tank. Any suggestions.
Am I missing anything?
 
mburnickas

mburnickas

Member
The problem is you will have a return line form you skimmer n (below main tnak) UP to your fuge. Then another pump in fuge, correct? The problem is how do you prevent the main tank from over flowing the fuge? Without an overflow (weir) I do not know.
 
jagermeister

jagermeister

Member
You HAVE to have an overflow. You CANNOT pump into the fuge and turn around and pump out of the fuge into the main tank. It is impossible to balance the pumps.
You need a gravity return to balance the system.
 
I

irenicus

Guest
Ok... I will add an overflow, revise my plans and get back to you all. Thanks
 
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