Refugium plumbing question

Kluver · 05/01/2006, 10:55 PM

Hi all,

I have a 20gal and planning on adding a refugium below my tank. I'm a bit confused. Is there a way to bring the water down to the refugium without the use of adding bulkhead or an overflow box to the main tank?

I was thinking of just using gravity feed tubing down to the refugium but realized that in case of power outage, my refugium can overflow. Is there a way to prevent this?

Thanks for all the help!

(p.s. sorry for the repost...I had asked it in my reef area club forum but thought I'll try the general public a try also)

Airman · 05/01/2006, 11:05 PM

Welcome to Reef Central!

The reason to use an overflow is to break the siphon in case of a power outage.

mr_o98 · 05/01/2006, 11:11 PM

Do you have a sump? I used to have a 55 with a sump and refuge side-by-side. I had powerheads exchanging water between the two to eliminate another overflow box. If you don't have a sump, you can always by a smaller powerhead and tubing and have it transfer water from the display to the refuge and buy a bigger powerhead/pump to send the water back to the display. I would def. do some research on flow rates and buy a gate valve or 2. Also make sure that you keep the water level in the refuge an few inches below the top to prevent an spillage, just in case.

sttroyiii · 05/02/2006, 10:07 AM

The way to prevent what you are talking about is with an overflow. The purpose of an overflow is to maintain siphon during a power outtage, without draining the tank into the sump. When the power comes back on, the water just runs through the overflow again without anybody having to suck on things to get the siphon returned. There is a part of the overflow that the water never drains out of, thats how it works. There arent many ways around this unless you have the sump beside your tank. You can go to Melev's site and he has DIY instructions. Also, I just recently saw a DIY under a 'ghetto' titled thread where someone used an old mechanical filter box, put a U tube across, and a gatorade bottle inside the tank. It made an overflow, but its hard to get around having something that does the same thing.

Somehow, you have to keep the water from draining after the power goes out, and you have to re-establish siphon once the power/pump comes back on. An overflow does this best IME. I made my own overflow from Melevs site and it cost me about $15, versus paying $60 for a pre-made PLASTIC box.

Kluver · 05/02/2006, 08:49 PM

Hey all, thanks for all your help. So basically from what I have gathered, is it safe to say that almost everyone who uses a refugium/and or sump under the tank has an overflow as the input?

kevin gu3 · 05/03/2006, 07:54 AM

It would be safe to say that nobody has found a different way to do it that is reliable. All use some derivation of overflow box or drilled hole.

05/01/2006, 10:55 PM	#1
Kluver Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 250	Refugium plumbing question Hi all, I have a 20gal and planning on adding a refugium below my tank. I'm a bit confused. Is there a way to bring the water down to the refugium without the use of adding bulkhead or an overflow box to the main tank? I was thinking of just using gravity feed tubing down to the refugium but realized that in case of power outage, my refugium can overflow. Is there a way to prevent this? Thanks for all the help! (p.s. sorry for the repost...I had asked it in my reef area club forum but thought I'll try the general public a try also)

05/01/2006, 11:05 PM	#2
Airman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 643	Welcome to Reef Central! The reason to use an overflow is to break the siphon in case of a power outage. __________________ What is man, that thou art mindful of him?...:) Current Tank Info: 55 Gal, DSB, protein skimmer, UV light, Sump/Refugium

05/03/2006, 07:54 AM	#6
kevin gu3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Whitmore Lk, MI Posts: 732	It would be safe to say that nobody has found a different way to do it that is reliable. All use some derivation of overflow box or drilled hole. __________________ Divert all money to life support. Your wallet will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. Current Tank Info: 90g reef, 29g anemone exile tank

05/01/2006, 11:11 PM	#3
mr_o98 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Pen Argyl, PA Posts: 600	Do you have a sump? I used to have a 55 with a sump and refuge side-by-side. I had powerheads exchanging water between the two to eliminate another overflow box. If you don't have a sump, you can always by a smaller powerhead and tubing and have it transfer water from the display to the refuge and buy a bigger powerhead/pump to send the water back to the display. I would def. do some research on flow rates and buy a gate valve or 2. Also make sure that you keep the water level in the refuge an few inches below the top to prevent an spillage, just in case.

05/02/2006, 10:07 AM	#4
sttroyiii Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 378	The way to prevent what you are talking about is with an overflow. The purpose of an overflow is to maintain siphon during a power outtage, without draining the tank into the sump. When the power comes back on, the water just runs through the overflow again without anybody having to suck on things to get the siphon returned. There is a part of the overflow that the water never drains out of, thats how it works. There arent many ways around this unless you have the sump beside your tank. You can go to Melev's site and he has DIY instructions. Also, I just recently saw a DIY under a 'ghetto' titled thread where someone used an old mechanical filter box, put a U tube across, and a gatorade bottle inside the tank. It made an overflow, but its hard to get around having something that does the same thing. Somehow, you have to keep the water from draining after the power goes out, and you have to re-establish siphon once the power/pump comes back on. An overflow does this best IME. I made my own overflow from Melevs site and it cost me about $15, versus paying $60 for a pre-made PLASTIC box.

05/02/2006, 08:49 PM	#5
Kluver Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 250	Hey all, thanks for all your help. So basically from what I have gathered, is it safe to say that almost everyone who uses a refugium/and or sump under the tank has an overflow as the input?