Refugiun And Sump

casper1875

casper1875

Member

This is my sump with the protien skimmer. The skimmer has a 14 or 15 inch footprint and takes up a lot of room.

The top view of the sump. Do I have to use the black box that is under the glass with the foam or can I remove it and use those filter bags?

This is the TidePool II. I want to use it as a refugium. Do I "T" off from the display and have some flow go to it?
If so, where do I have the water go from there? I was thinking into the sump with the skimmer.

Ther is not enough room for the skimmer so I have to put everything behind the tank on the floor. Putting in the plumbing is a nightmare.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Hard to visualize for me but can you first look into plumbing your skimmer out side the sump? I would also look onto a T from your supply to the sump and feed the refug can you position the refug so that if you drilled a hole and added a bulkhead and pvc so it would introduce water from your refug into your sump you will not need a separate pump to get the water from the refug back into your DT
Putting in the plumbing is a nightmare.
Hang in there are many people on the boards that love plumbing challenges myself included we are here to help
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
I think the skimmer needs to be submerged. I have the supply figured out now. I can add a T and have it go to the refugium. The TidePool has two holes drilled into it. I was not sure where to feed it back to.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
I'm glad someone is. My husband gave up and went out the garage. I bought the durso standpipes and ordered loc line for the returns. They will be here this week. I still need to get 3/4" pvc for the returns.
 
calbert0

calbert0

Member
O.G's correct me if i am wrong, but i believe you should skim first then put the refugium after the skimmer, because you don't want the skimmer taking beneficial micro-organisms out of the refugium water that is heading back up to the tank...
so in other words, the fuge should be last in line.
 
xcali1985

xcali1985

Active Member
Originally Posted by calbert0
http:///forum/post/3138886
O.G's correct me if i am wrong, but i believe you should skim first then put the refugium after the skimmer, because you don't want the skimmer taking beneficial micro-organisms out of the refugium water that is heading back up to the tank...
so in other words, the fuge should be last in line.
Ive seen them designed several ways. Mine is Refuge -> Skimmer -> Return. However ive seen them with Skimmer -> Return <- Refuge with the intake split between the refuge and skimmer section.
Im guessing that its pretty much up to personal preference. Skimmers while they remove some beneficial minerals from the water, most if the bad stuff. So having it run over the refuge first where they may be dying organisms (almost guarantee there is, pods, bacteria, etc.) then passing over the skimmer then returning seems to be the safest way in my opinion to make sure the best possible water is making its way to the DT.
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Do you plan on having the tide pool on its own drain with its own return pump?
Also, I hope the garden hose is just for fresh water testing. You will save yourself a lot of headachs if you don't fill your tank with, and use tap water for anything that has to deal with your tank.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
The hose was just to make sure it holds water. I have an ro/di unit hooked up. Florida Joe said something about setting the refugium above the sump and letting gravity flow the water. I have a ballvalve that I can controll the flow with. I really like the thought of not adding another pump to the system.
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Originally Posted by casper1875
http:///forum/post/3139001
The hose was just to make sure it holds water. I have an ro/di unit hooked up. Florida Joe said something about setting the refugium above the sump and letting gravity flow the water. I have a ballvalve that I can controll the flow with. I really like the thought of not adding another pump to the system.
That is exactly where I was going. Put the tide pool above the sump or vise versa. I see that the tide pool has holes drilled in the front of it. So, just use those holes to plumb it into the sump.
My only question is how much room you have under there? Stacking containers gets to be a tall endever. If you can stack them and plumb it ok, I would put the skimmer in the tide pool if you have the height.
The balck box you asked about eairlier, No, I don't believe you have to use it. I think it is there for media. I can't be certian on that. You'll just have to look at it. If it can be gotten rid of, I would. Unless you would like to run Bio Balls.
The next thought is, What do you have for a return pump?
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
Everything will be behind the aquarium on the floor. My skimmer is too tall and it has a large footprint. I have a mag 18 for the pump.
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Originally Posted by casper1875
http:///forum/post/3139017
Everything will be behind the aquarium on the floor. My skimmer is too tall and it has a large footprint. I have a mag 18 for the pump.
You will still have a height issue as your drains are drilled on the bottom of the tank. Unless I am mistaken. You can't bring the drains back up hill unless you do some fancy plumbing. Like make a full siphon into a durso at the tide pool or sump which ever is higher. These lines will need ball valves on them to restrict flow cause they will pummle untill they get to the durso where they can't drain as fast. or a lot of noise will insue. If you do this (try to run the drains back up hill a bit) you will have a multi stepped level drain system. It will work, it will just be funky.
How big is that beast of a tank you got?
What are the diemensions?
Just guessing on what you have, your MAG 18 is going to give you about 1000 GPH on the return. That is with 1 1/4" pipe.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
It's a 180 gallon 72"X24"X24". I have Durso standpipes for the drain. The return pipes are 3/4". I'll get some pictures tomorrow. Maybe that will help you.
The sump is either 50 or 55 gallons and it's really heavy. I'll raise the TidePool.
I'll put bulkheads in the holes that are in the TidePool and then have the flow go to the sump. Thank you for the help.
I've been up since 4 am and I'm going to bed now. I'll get some pictures up by noon tomorrow. Maybe you could check them out and get back to me.
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Originally Posted by casper1875
http:///forum/post/3139041
It's a 180 gallon 72"X24"X24". I have Durso standpipes for the drain. The return pipes are 3/4". I'll get some pictures tomorrow. Maybe that will help you.
The sump is either 50 or 55 gallons and it's really heavy. I'll raise the TidePool.
I'll put bulkheads in the holes that are in the TidePool and then have the flow go to the sump. Thank you for the help.
I've been up since 4 am and I'm going to bed now. I'll get some pictures up by noon tomorrow. Maybe you could check them out and get back to me.
Ha,Ha That's funny. I have been on OT all this week and up at 3AM. So I am with you. However I am not in you time zone.
Again roughly but, your looking at 600GPH with the 3/4" pipe. Your gonna need a lot of turn over in the power head department. Or a closed loop. Have you thought of drilling the back of the tank for a closed loop?
Sounds good on flowing the tide pool into the sump. Will you be placing the skimmer in the tide pool or in the sump. I dont see why it can't go either way.
Well I am outa here.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
This is with putting the system under the aquarium. I have about a 1" clearance to remove the skimmer cup.
Sump under the tank.

Sump top view under tank.

TidePool II under tank top view.

TidePool II under tank side view.

It's really tight under the tank, but I could make it work.
My options would be:
1. To add a pump to the TidePool and let it under the tank.
2. To put the TidePool behind the tank and elevate so gravity would move the water.
 
casper1875

casper1875

Member
The bulkheads for the drain is 1" and the return 3/4".
There are 2 overflow boxes.
I was going to have the drain flow into 1 1/4" plumbing.
All the returns are 3/4".
This is having everything behind the tank.
Durso Standpipe behind the overflow. It's a 1" Balkhead.

Top of the sump.

Filter pad on the sump. It sits on top of the black box.

Black box top.

Black box side view.

Skimmer inside sump top view.

Mag 18 inside skimmer.

Mag 18 side view.

A few shots of the TidePool.

 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
From what I know of that skimmer is it calls for 8-10 inches of water depth. How tall is that baffle to the return section in that sump?
 
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