Refugium Sump Design Question

[DSmithZ28]

I was hoping to get a little advice as now that I finished my sump I have a concern. I re-purposed an old bio-ball filter and then drilled a hole through it linking it to my sump return pump chamber. After watching it and the water rising I have become concerned that it could easily clog and flood the house. If it clogged the water would keep coming in via the manifold and over fill the fuge area. Is there any mods that you can think of that might eliminate the risk? I also want this as a cope-pod farm. My hope was that they would enjoy their secure location overpopulate and flood over the bulkhead to some hungry fish. I prefer mechanical to electrical fail safes and I was thinking of adding a second bulk head perhaps lower and then screening off the chaeto.

[DSmithZ28]

Well I can't edit my picture. I needed to reduce the size. Geez this place is strict.

[PAXpress]

Maybe like you said a 2nd bulkhead maybe have the bulkhead that is raised above the surface that would be used in the event of a clog have no screen or a screen with a much higher mesh size to prevent a second clog and problems? I'm curious to see what you do. Are those acrylic or glass?

[DSmithZ28]

Originally Posted by PAXpress

Maybe like you said a 2nd bulkhead maybe have the bulkhead that is raised above the surface that would be used in the event of a clog have no screen or a screen with a much higher mesh size to prevent a second clog and problems? I'm curious to see what you do. Are those acrylic or glass?

Acrylic. I had thought to build a mini overflow box as well and insert into the bulkhead.

[PAXpress]

Originally Posted by DSmithZ28

Acrylic. I had thought to build a mini overflow box as well and insert into the bulkhead.

I'm thinking I need to do a similar setup but just as a failsafe. I have a 10g sump on a 54g tank and the way its plumbed/setup (silicone wasnt perfect on the baffle in the tank that is my "overflow" box so if the return dies for more than 20 minutes it starts to trickle more water down and eventually soak my carpet). I'm planning on doing something like what you have there just that if the sump is going to overflow the excess is captured in a 1g container next to the sump and then can be put back into the sump. Better to have to manually resolve than to have to clean up a water disaster. This is what I get for doing my own custom RR tank! What you've done looks really clean though and I'll have to steal a page from your book.

[DSmithZ28]

Originally Posted by PAXpress

I'm thinking I need to do a similar setup but just as a failsafe. I have a 10g sump on a 54g tank and the way its plumbed/setup (silicone wasnt perfect on the baffle in the tank that is my "overflow" box so if the return dies for more than 20 minutes it starts to trickle more water down and eventually soak my carpet). I'm planning on doing something like what you have there just that if the sump is going to overflow the excess is captured in a 1g container next to the sump and then can be put back into the sump. Better to have to manually resolve than to have to clean up a water disaster. This is what I get for doing my own custom RR tank! What you've done looks really clean though and I'll have to steal a page from your book.

Thanks. I worked a long time to find the parts for it. I have a 93 gallon cube and space is a premium so I had to add chambers to the sump for the fuge. Reactors will have to sit on the wood which I am not a fan of. I can control the water flow with my ball valve to the fuge so I think if I chamber off the Chaeto in the fuge with maybe screening it will add another layer of protection. Another issue is this is crazy loud too. I will have to add some sort of ball valve to create a syphon. One more thing lmao.

[fifthtoe]

Check out the drains on some of the Lifereef Reefugiums. A design like this might work for you and be very simple to implement.

http://www.lifereef.com/lg_LRSM.gif

[DSmithZ28]

Originally Posted by fifthtoe

Check out the drains on some of the Lifereef Reefugiums. A design like this might work for you and be very simple to implement.

http://www.lifereef.com/lg_LRSM.gif

My bulk head is too high for that unfortunately. I may end up drilling a second lower bulk head and use this method and use the original higher bulk head as an emergency but I am not sure yet.

[fifthtoe]

Originally Posted by DSmithZ28

My bulk head is too high for that unfortunately. I may end up drilling a second lower bulk head and use this method and use the original higher bulk head as an emergency but I am not sure yet.

I don't think you would necessarily need to keep it open on one end. Even if you capped it, you would essentially have a very long strainer which may be a lot more difficult to clog.

This caps the end, but the strainer bar is positioned vertically.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1...Refugium.0.jpg

[fifthtoe]

I forgot to add that you can cut the slots much lower to keep the water level down. As long as you don't have a high flow rate in your refugium (most don't), I think it could work.

[DSmithZ28]

Originally Posted by fifthtoe

I don't think you would necessarily need to keep it open on one end. Even if you capped it, you would essentially have a very long strainer which may be a lot more difficult to clog.

This caps the end, but the strainer bar is positioned horizontally.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1...Refugium.0.jpg

Something like this horizontal could work.

[Lsufan]

I have a similar setup & I just drilled two holes at the same hieght. I installed a 90 facing down in one bulkhead & a 90 facing up on the other. The one with the 90 facing up stays dry but it could handle the flow if the main drain gets clogged

[DSmithZ28]

Originally Posted by Lsufan

I have a similar setup & I just drilled two holes at the same hieght. I installed a 90 facing down in one bulkhead & a 90 facing up on the other. The one with the 90 facing up stays dry but it could handle the flow if the main drain gets clogged

Can you show me a picture I would like to make sure I am understanding correctly but that seems like the best option for me. Thanks!