Sump or Fuge?
- Thread starter wocka
- Start date
nm reef
Active Member
If I'm following you correctly you plan to use your skimmers pump to remove water from the display...right?
What would make your idea exemely difficult is setting up a return pump from the sump/refugium to "perfectly" match the flow rate leaving your display.....too little return and your sump will flood...too much return and your display will flood. It is nearly impossible to "match" pump rates from display and back to display. A much better option is some sort of overflow to remove water from the display. They will all have a maximum flow rate....as an example maybe 600 GPH....then you could use a return pump rated ( or valved back to) slightly less than the maximum flow rate of the overflow....then you'd have far less chance of a flood.
:thinking:
What would make your idea exemely difficult is setting up a return pump from the sump/refugium to "perfectly" match the flow rate leaving your display.....too little return and your sump will flood...too much return and your display will flood. It is nearly impossible to "match" pump rates from display and back to display. A much better option is some sort of overflow to remove water from the display. They will all have a maximum flow rate....as an example maybe 600 GPH....then you could use a return pump rated ( or valved back to) slightly less than the maximum flow rate of the overflow....then you'd have far less chance of a flood.
:thinking:
wocka
Active Member
hmm i geuss this will never work, i hate my skimmer.. ughh
i just want the box to accually have water fall in it, not the water just re circulating.
the skimmer pump and the water return pipe are in the same box, anyone have ideas to switch this? i put the return pipe out of the box but theres way to many bubbles in the tank
i just want the box to accually have water fall in it, not the water just re circulating.
the skimmer pump and the water return pipe are in the same box, anyone have ideas to switch this? i put the return pipe out of the box but theres way to many bubbles in the tank
dburr
Active Member
Wocka: you are saying you have a hang-on skimmer and need to have a box built so water flows in it then your skimmer can pick up all the crap that floats, right? Some skimmers makers make such an item, but you didn't list your skimmer.
NM is saying you need a sump. An overflow will be a box that water flows into. It skimms the water surface crud and flows to the sump. The sump where your skimmer will now be. Then you need another pump to push the water back up to the display.
HTH
NM is saying you need a sump. An overflow will be a box that water flows into. It skimms the water surface crud and flows to the sump. The sump where your skimmer will now be. Then you need another pump to push the water back up to the display.
HTH
wocka
Active Member
i found a hang on overflow box of 300phg for 66$, is this a ripoff?, so then wouldnt i need a powerhead of 300gph to match the intake, what do i do if power goes out, should i make the sump big enough to handle the water it might suck out if i lose power?
i have an excalibur HOB skimmer
i have an excalibur HOB skimmer
dburr
Active Member
They rate the overflows to "what they can handle". That doesn't mean less flow will be a problem, in fact, less is better just incase a snail decides to go where no snail has gone before.
The box will still handle something in the way instead of floading your living room.
$66 sounds like a good deal, but buyer be where, some are better than others. It would be a good idea to make sure a PH can be attached to catch air bubbles.
If the power goes out, the flow will stop. That is how they are made. When the power goes back on it should start. If it doesn't, the PH is a good back up to get it going again.
Can the skimmer sit in the sump or hang on a small tank(sump)?
HTH
$66 sounds like a good deal, but buyer be where, some are better than others. It would be a good idea to make sure a PH can be attached to catch air bubbles.
If the power goes out, the flow will stop. That is how they are made. When the power goes back on it should start. If it doesn't, the PH is a good back up to get it going again.
Can the skimmer sit in the sump or hang on a small tank(sump)?
HTH
wocka
Active Member
well currently i dont have a sump or intake box, i was thinking i can put the overflow hang on tank box in the back of my display and then put the skimmer return water line in there, so it would have the return water and water from the display going to the sump, then of course i would have the baffles and stuff, and probly the hang on back filter thats on my display now. then 300gph power head pumping water back up. i wuld make the hang on overflow a certain high so if the power did go off it would only drain a certain amount, and also make sure the sump could handle a few extra gallons.
correct me if im wrong on any of my ideas. thanks
correct me if im wrong on any of my ideas. thanks
dburr
Active Member
no no no. Your trying to pump water out to the sump and back in the tank, it will never work. If you want a sump, put the skimmer in. If you don't, try looking for a skimmer with the surface skim.
I don't know of any in line skimmers, but I have thought about it.
Just hard to get a good contact time and a good flow at the same time. So far I can't see how it would work.:notsure:
I don't know of any in line skimmers, but I have thought about it.