Gravity fed, low flow, remote refugium

[EdSnyder]

Looking for some advice here. I am not sure how to go about this. I want to have a refugium in a different room from my reef.

Tank: 55
Sump: Three compartment 15 gal
Lifereef overflow
4 ft tall stand
Standard wall dividing the rooms
10 or 29 gal tank for fuge, not sure

I want to experiment with what will grow in a low flow fuge. I have different sponges, macro algae, feather dusters, etc on my live rock. I think I would see different growth rates on these things in a low flow environment. I could pull this off in my sump but I like the idea of a tank in another room connected to my main system.

Questions:
Will air line tubing be big enough to plumb this project?
Can I drill the lifereef over flow box to add another drain line?
What type of pre-fuge filtration should I have?
Need plumbing ideas, ie line into fuge, fuge overflow.

Any help is appreciated,
Thanks,
Ed

[T Diddy]

Just T off of (assuming full siphon), or use one of your current drain lines. Better yet, T off of the return and use a valve. Either way, put a valve on the new branch to control flow in the fuge. Just be sure that the drain in the fuge is large enough to handle more flow than you need, and take measures to prevent that drain from ever becoming clogged with a snail, etc.

[EdSnyder]

Thanks T Diddy. How do I t off the drain line. It's a big drain line, whatever fits snug on the bottom of a lifereef overflow, can't remember. The water coming down is only using about half of the tubes diameter. I think I remember reading you are not supposed to put any back pressure on the drain line for this overflow.

Hopefully I can drill the fuge tank and put a large drain. Not sure of the easiest way to make an overflow, don't want to buy one.

[stormrider27]

I am going in the same direction as you and in designing my above the DT fuge I am going to use the concepts in this thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=969713

[Wistler]

EDSNYDER,

I just started a remote 40 Gallon Fuge and you can maybe get some tips from my thread. The only thing I am adding is an EShopps PF-300 overflow box in addition to the overflow now. I am going to set it a hair higher than the current overflow. I keep having this recurring nightmare that a piece of alge, fish or snail clogs the drain and the pump drains 50 gallons from my sump all over the floor. Its $50 insurance adding the extra drain hose as a back up....and yes I am a worry wort...lol

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2112926

[Ron Reefman]

Be careful, and test, that the low flow refugium won't overflow or cause an overflow in the sump if there is a power outage.

Questions:
Will air line tubing be big enough to plumb this project? I seriously doubt it.
Can I drill the lifereef over flow box to add another drain line? Don't know the equipment. I picture might help.
What type of pre-fuge filtration should I have? Why have any? It's just using system water. I have 2 tanks hooked into a sump/fuge/frag tank.
Need plumbing ideas, ie line into fuge, fuge overflow. Depends on how you are setting it up and how high it's going to be. I'd drill it and add a small pump.

[Wistler]

Ron,

I did do a few power checks and there is hardly any back drainage to the sump. I drilled the bulkhead about 2 inches down from the rim and the "teeth" cut into the overflow box only allow a minimal amount of water to drain until the water level drops. I also have a siphon break on the T fitting behind the bulkhead.

My sump can accompdate about 9 gallons before it would overflow the top.

[EdSnyder]

Originally Posted by stormrider27

I am going in the same direction as you and in designing my above the DT fuge I am going to use the concepts in this thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=969713

Thanks! That's a great thread:-)

Originally Posted by Wistler

EDSNYDER,
I just started a remote 40 Gallon Fuge
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2112926

Thanks. A good sponge over the drain is insurance too.

Ron, do you have any experience with using air line tubing for plumbing? I want to use gravity. I don't want to use a pump, as for the height, it will have to be below my dt overflow and above my sump. And I was thinking filtration to the fuge would be a good idea as it would probably be a detritus trap coming strait from the dt.

[EdSnyder]

Some photos of what I am working with.

My sump


Overflow I was thinking about tapping into. It seems like a easy way to send pluming through the
wall being that it sits right up against the wall.



The room where the fuge will go. The bookshelf there has been modified, I used to have a nano tank sitting in it.

[EdSnyder]

Found one more on photobucket from when I was setting up the nano :-)

[T Diddy]

Originally Posted by EdSnyder

Thanks T Diddy. How do I t off the drain line. It's a big drain line, whatever fits snug on the bottom of a lifereef overflow, can't remember. The water coming down is only using about half of the tubes diameter. I think I remember reading you are not supposed to put any back pressure on the drain line for this overflow.

Hopefully I can drill the fuge tank and put a large drain. Not sure of the easiest way to make an overflow, don't want to buy one.

Ah, I didn't realize that your overflow was a HOB...you can only T off of a drain when a full siphon (and emergency drain) are present. Just T off of the return and put a valve on the fuge line. Also, as Ron mentioned, be sure that the sump can contain any backsiphon from a power outage.

[EdSnyder]

Originally Posted by T Diddy

Ah, I didn't realize that your overflow was a HOB...you can only T off of a drain when a full siphon (and emergency drain) are present. Just T off of the return and put a valve on the fuge line. Also, as Ron mentioned, be sure that the sump can contain any backsiphon from a power outage.

I'm trying to avoid the t on the return as I only have a mag 5 for a return pump. Might have to just up the size and do a t.

That's why I was thinking air line tubing. I was hoping someone out there has tried drilling the outside box on the overflow before.
The outside box does have a decent amount of water in it?

Would that mess it up?
Would air line tubing be sufficient flow to the fuge?