plumbing help please

[sobsts]

I need some help with plumbing. I just tried to plumb my refugium using a weir overflow box which was very noisy with a slurping noise down to my refugium. THe fuge is a 30 gallon tank than i had a mag 7 pump pumping the water into a top fathom TF200A skimmer than it was supposed to go back up too my tank. For some reason the water just started pouring out of the skimmer and didnt make it back up too the tank. My question is am i alright to hang the return pipe over the back of my tank and let the skimmer sit on a homemade table behind my tank to support it and if so will that work. THe other question is how do i get my weir overflow to be more quiet and too not break suction.
Thanks for the help
Dave

 

[coachklm]

noooo... you need a separate return pump different then your skimmer pump.
at 4ft head which is normal you have to measure you overflow size to your return pump power...
give details on your overflow hole such as the size of the hole 1" or 1.5" or does it have 2 holes at 1" or 1.5" ?
according to that size you can say that your tank is osing 600gph (1") to the sump so your return pump must return @600gph +head loss to the tank at the same time to remain stabile.
your return pipe should be connect to its own pump in/or out of the refugium.

 

[sobsts]

so your saying i need a different return pump i can just run it from the skimmer to dump back into my tank. Hole is 1.5" in the overflow

 

[coachklm]

so at 1.5 inch hole is sending 1300gph of water down to your sump... you need a pump that will suppply 1300gph of water back up 4' to your tank.
the pump that runs your skimmer should be sucking water into the skimmer and the clean water should come out of your skimmer into the sump...
then that water should hit another pump that sends it back up 4'

 

[coachklm]

ill find some pictures for you hang on/...
you notice this is extrnal plumbing... many people just cram this stuff into a sump. but all componants of a proper sump refuge are there.

 

[sobsts]

alright i made a weir overflow box that drops down into the fuge the intake is live rock than it goes into the fuge and than to the where the return pump was going to be. I planned on plumbing the skimmer off the return pump and back to tank that failed. I notice in the picture you have the skimmer before the fuge section can you explain why you did this. I understand now i need a seperate pump but im short on funds so is it better to have the big top fathom skimmer working or use the pump as a return from the fuge and continue to run my prizm hangon skimmer.
I really appreciate the help
Dave

 

[wattsupdoc]

Originally Posted by coachKLM
ill find some pictures for you hang on/...
you notice this is extrnal plumbing... many people just cram this stuff into a sump. but all componants of a proper sump refuge are there.

You crack me up coach,

how big is that library you have.

 

[coachklm]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
You crack me up coach,

how big is that library you have.

we'll call it "extensive"

 

[coachklm]

Originally Posted by sobsts
alright i made a weir overflow box that drops down into the fuge the intake is live rock than it goes into the fuge and than to the where the return pump was going to be. I planned on plumbing the skimmer off the return pump and back to tank that failed. I notice in the picture you have the skimmer before the fuge section can you explain why you did this.i like the design and this way the skimmer doesnt end up skimming beneficial "transfer" pods or nutrients. I understand now i need a seperate pump but im short on funds so is it better to have the big top fathom skimmer working or use the pump as a return from the fuge and continue to run my prizm hangon skimmer.if you have a sump/fuge set up i would run the return pump and use the prizm also until a new pump can be ordered.
I really appreciate the help
Dave
if you have more questions dont be shy.

 

[acrylic51]

The skimmer and pump is placed where the water enters the sump/fuge, because that is the dirtiest or nutrient rich water in the system......A skimmer can be place anywhere really, but it will operate optimally there, being the water is directly from the tank.....The water being drawn into your weir is surfaced skimmed water with all the junk in it, so the skimmer would get first dibs at it......HTH