refugium idea

[gdown]

this is the drawing for my weekend project. The refugium will be a rubbermaid tub with a hole melted out of the top right side. Home depot has pvc fittings that make this possible. PVC is 1/2 inch. 1/2 inch fitted to 1/2 threaded two hose washers and a 90 degree elbow threaded to fitted. Straight pipe to tank 40 degree elbow, straight pipe than 90 degree elbow to back of the main tank. So what do you guys and girls think?

 

[gdown]

another try

 

[broomer5]

Looks good.
Made one comment to your design though
The red return to refugium line's "opening" should be at a higher elevation than the "blue" draining line back to the tank - in my opinion.

 

[bang guy]

One more comment.
I think the overflow should be a larger diameter than 1/2". Without pressure very little water can flow through a 1/2".

 

[krishj39]

yup, i agree with you bang guy. if you are pumping water into the fuge through a 1/2" pipe, you will need a larger pipe to gravity feed the same amount of water. in my yet to be completed fuge, i will have a 1/2" pipe for the pump into the fuge and a 1.5 inch pipe for the drain back out of the fuge.

 

[gdown]

I thought I would use a powerhead with a flow valve to pump the water to the refugium. Just pumping water up should keep the flow rate down. I read a slow flow is best for a refugium. If I'm mistaken let me know. I would just make the overflow 3/4 instead of 1/2 not 1 1/2 which is way to big.