Plumbing advice on adding a fuge next to my reef tank

[Wistler]

We have a 90 gallon reef tank that has been set up since September and so far all is running smoothly. It is drilled for an overflow and we have a 29 gal three chambered sump below. It has a Cadlights skimmer, mag 7 return pump, as well as a GFO reactor. There is calerpa,chaeto and red alge growing in the center section, although it is very small.

Our coral and fish are all doing well, however I think for long term success in keeping a mandarin goby I would do well to add a bigger refugium. We started our tank by adding live pods farmed by a local club member over a few weeks. We have loads of pods in the display and the mandarin is fat and happy.

As luck would have it my dealer got a few new 40 gallon breeder tanks cheap and he also has bulkheads and experience drilling tanks.

So here are my questions:

I can build a stand and put the 40 gallon to the left of the stand about 36" off the ground and hide the top off bucket underneath.

What is the best way to plumb this into my current system?

I see two options, one to add an Eshopps overflow to the rear of the display tank and allow gravity to feed the 40 gallon or I can add a 200GPH pump into the sump and pump water UP into the 40 gallon tank.

The overflow would be unsightly and if it ever lost its siphon during a brief power outrage, circulation in the 40 gal tank would stop and any fish or critters we put in there could be harmed.

If I drill the 40 Gal tank and use a 1 1/2" drain pipe that should allow for plenty of pods to fall down into the sump.

I assume that since I don't use a foam filter on my mag 7 return pump that pods will get sucked up and shot into the display...no?

I guess I could also take a blob of alge from the huge and dunk it in the 90 gal tank like I do currently to "feed" the mandarin manually each week.

On a more practical matter, I need to show the "neatness" of having a huge tank taking up space in our dining room. What critters have you all added to your huge to add some diversity? I figure if I kept the flow low enough I could add sea horses? My son is bugging to get a scorpion fish and I see some of them rated for 30 gallon tanks on DFS website.

For those that have a huge, what does it look like after a year? Is it gonna be an ugly eyesore or can it be kept to look like a planted freshwater tank?

Thanks for any pics or links.

Heres are tank....

[grallster]

Personally I would have a pump in the sump to feed the fuge and let it drain back down to the sump. You should be able to keep it looking neat if you keep the glass clean. I would think you could get away with keeping seahorses in there, however, it might defeat the purpose of populating the display with pods...

[Wistler]

Grallster,

What size pump would you recommend? I know the huge should have calm water to allow the Cheato to grow easier than in fast water. I would want a flow rate that would support oxygen in case I ended up adding a a fish or two.

I know some have mentioned that they had a fish at one time or another had to be removed from their reef tank as it matured and became a terror.

Plus my wife or son may want to add something in there to look at.
thanks

[grallster]

Actually, depending on what return pump you have, I would T it off and have a valve on it--that way you can fine tune it to what you want. I would shoot for 300-400 gph turnover.

[Wistler]

I thought about tapping into the return pump, but I worried about what would happen during a power outrage. Currently my 29 Gallon sump has an ATO to keep the level constant. I have about 5 inches of tank height before an overflow when I unplug my return pump. If I "T"off the return pump and have a power failure then additional water from the fuge will drain back to the 29 gal sump.

I would have to double check and see if the additional water coming back down the long feed pipe could overflow the sump.

It certainly would me the cheapest option, but adding a small pump to the sump to pump water to the huge may be an easier and safer method.

[grallster]

You will have backflow into the sump even if you use a small pump in the sump--there won't be any difference. One way to combat this is to have the input into the fuge just above the water level so that it pours into it.

[Wistler]

I thought I would add an update to how my project went. I was able to drill the tank by borrowing a friends drill bit. I used a hack saw and dremel tool to make a square over flow box. I used marine land safe silicone and installed the bulkhead and overflow box with out any problems.

I decided I wanted even, slow flow across the top of the fuge so I created a "spray" bar out of 1/2" CPVC. I installed a ball valve on both the drain and return line, just in case I needed them, but so far I don't. I DID remember to drill an anti siphon hole in the spray bar and it tested well. My sump water level only raised a couple of inches when I did a power failure test.

I added a maxi jet 1200 pump (because I had one) and with the almost 6 ft of distance and 40" of head its not too much flow.

I added a bag of live sand, filled it up yesterday and so far so good.

I lucked out and found a stackable steel shelf unit rated for 1000 pounds at Lowes on sale. The breeder tank fits perfectly on the top. I bought a brown curtain for $9 and plan to iron it today and make a skirt for around the stand to keep the wife happy.:in love:

So here is my plan today:

1. "Seed" the fuge with some scoops of sand from my reef.
2. Add some live rock chunks to anchor the calerpa alge in the sand bed.
3. Add 50% of the cheato I have in the current sump into the huge
4. Rig up my light and look for a permanent light set up.

I guess after a couple of weeks I will add some critters like sand sifter serpent stars and maybe some snails. Of course I will likely have to feed them some type of food for a little while.

I hope to put an angler fish in the huge in a month or so and maybe another small fish for some visual interest.

Any other suggestions??

BACK OF FUGE:

SPRAY BAR:

FINISHED FUGE:




ORIGINAL FUGE IN MIDDLE CHAMBER OF SUMP:

[grallster]

Originally Posted by Wistler

I hope to put an angler fish in the huge in a month or so and maybe another small fish for some visual interest.

Any other suggestions??

Hopefully not too small a fish...
Looks good. It doesn't look like there is enough room to close that valve without hitting the back of the tank--must be the perspective of the picture.

[Wistler]

Grallster, There is plenty of room to close the valve, but I would never need to...LOL...even running a maxi jet 1200 with 40" of head and barely any flow caused the 1 inch drain to barely be enough.

It has been running for 24 hours and I moved the alge and some live rock into the huge today. So far so good.