How to plumb remote refugium

omartinez · 01/21/2012, 07:05 PM

I'm mounting my first salty tank. A 135g with a 47 sump, today i manage to convince my wife to get a 55g to use it as a remote refugium/second dt.

The sump will be 5' below the dt inside the stand, the refugium will be on the other side of a wall.

The issue is not the wall, is that the fuge is at the same level as the dt and i cant drill it. So how do i connect that fuge to the main system?

Saltydrip · 01/21/2012, 07:12 PM

Tricky....

I would use the sump as your "manifold" put an overflow on the 55 that would drain into your sump. It would mix with the DT water and return to the 55 and water that has been blended with both tanks. I'm not sure of the capasity and design of your sump but that seems to be the most painless rout. I would at least call some glass shops to see about drilling. It won't be much and if you are adding this as a "piggyback" system you can have the tank cycle befor adding it to your DT system.

Drilling is the way. Give it a shot. Make the calls!!! It doesn't cost but a couple bucks most of the time.

Saltydrip · 01/21/2012, 07:15 PM

Oh yea... I skipped the part where I should have told you you would need an additional pump for your 55g return or if you had a big enough pump already you could T into your DT return since they have the same water level. I would run the second pump though to keep as much flow threw the DT.

omartinez · 01/22/2012, 06:31 AM

Thanks for the advice that was my initial idea, using an overflow on the refugium and a t on the return pump.

Drilling the tank present some problems here in my country do i prefer not using one for the moment.

I will explore your idea more carefully, if anyone else have more suggestion they are welcome

omartinez · 01/24/2012, 12:33 PM

what do you think of this?

Saltydrip · 01/24/2012, 01:42 PM

That would do it but I would put both returns in the skimmer compartment.

omartinez · 01/24/2012, 02:28 PM

uhmm.. why put the refugium return in the skimmer section?

i see the system the same as a sump with the standard design: skimmer>return

walnuts24 · 01/24/2012, 02:45 PM

If you are going to display your refugium then you would probably have some sort of live stock in that tank (shrimp, macro, CUC). This water should return to the skimmer section since you will have some inhabitants.

jamesdean3 · 01/24/2012, 02:53 PM

Nahhh just dump it in the return so some pods and other goodies can make it back up to the DT. Any inverts /cuc would not have much of a bio load so I see skimming as totally unnecessary . I like you plan, just make sure your return pump can push enough flow for both tanks and you'll be good to go

omartinez · 01/24/2012, 02:57 PM

remeber that even if it is in display, is a refugium, i want to grow macro and pods for the fish...and some other stuff maybe

the reason that i dont put the fuge return on the skimmer, it's that i want the pods to go up to the main tank. Also I dont see the diferent in that matter of this setup and the common sump design : skimmer-return-refugium

omartinez · 01/24/2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesdean3

Nahhh just dump it in the return so some pods and other goodies can make it back up to the DT. Any inverts /cuc would not have much of a bio load so I see skimming as totally unnecessary . I like you plan, just make sure your return pump can push enough flow for both tanks and you'll be good to go

exactly

Saltydrip · 01/24/2012, 03:45 PM

I see a problem... Will pods be at the surface where your overflow is?? They like to be in the vegetation. Not swimming around the surface.

omartinez · 01/24/2012, 03:50 PM

Good question... Someone can answer

For what i know, let assume it a regular sump with a refugium, will not be the pods tranfered to the dt by overflowing to the return section?

01/21/2012, 07:05 PM	#1
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	How to plumb remote refugium I'm mounting my first salty tank. A 135g with a 47 sump, today i manage to convince my wife to get a 55g to use it as a remote refugium/second dt. The sump will be 5' below the dt inside the stand, the refugium will be on the other side of a wall. The issue is not the wall, is that the fuge is at the same level as the dt and i cant drill it. So how do i connect that fuge to the main system?

01/21/2012, 07:12 PM	#2
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Tricky.... I would use the sump as your "manifold" put an overflow on the 55 that would drain into your sump. It would mix with the DT water and return to the 55 and water that has been blended with both tanks. I'm not sure of the capasity and design of your sump but that seems to be the most painless rout. I would at least call some glass shops to see about drilling. It won't be much and if you are adding this as a "piggyback" system you can have the tank cycle befor adding it to your DT system. Drilling is the way. Give it a shot. Make the calls!!! It doesn't cost but a couple bucks most of the time. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/21/2012, 07:15 PM	#3
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Oh yea... I skipped the part where I should have told you you would need an additional pump for your 55g return or if you had a big enough pump already you could T into your DT return since they have the same water level. I would run the second pump though to keep as much flow threw the DT. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/24/2012, 01:42 PM	#6
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	That would do it but I would put both returns in the skimmer compartment. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/24/2012, 03:45 PM	#12
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	I see a problem... Will pods be at the surface where your overflow is?? They like to be in the vegetation. Not swimming around the surface. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

01/22/2012, 06:31 AM	#4
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	Thanks for the advice that was my initial idea, using an overflow on the refugium and a t on the return pump. Drilling the tank present some problems here in my country do i prefer not using one for the moment. I will explore your idea more carefully, if anyone else have more suggestion they are welcome

01/24/2012, 12:33 PM	#5
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	what do you think of this?

01/24/2012, 02:28 PM	#7
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	uhmm.. why put the refugium return in the skimmer section? i see the system the same as a sump with the standard design: skimmer>return

01/24/2012, 02:45 PM	#8
walnuts24 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 202	If you are going to display your refugium then you would probably have some sort of live stock in that tank (shrimp, macro, CUC). This water should return to the skimmer section since you will have some inhabitants.

01/24/2012, 02:53 PM	#9
jamesdean3 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 128	Nahhh just dump it in the return so some pods and other goodies can make it back up to the DT. Any inverts /cuc would not have much of a bio load so I see skimming as totally unnecessary . I like you plan, just make sure your return pump can push enough flow for both tanks and you'll be good to go

01/24/2012, 02:57 PM	#10
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	remeber that even if it is in display, is a refugium, i want to grow macro and pods for the fish...and some other stuff maybe the reason that i dont put the fuge return on the skimmer, it's that i want the pods to go up to the main tank. Also I dont see the diferent in that matter of this setup and the common sump design : skimmer-return-refugium

01/24/2012, 03:50 PM	#13
omartinez Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	Good question... Someone can answer For what i know, let assume it a regular sump with a refugium, will not be the pods tranfered to the dt by overflowing to the return section?