would a separate sump and fuge work?

GQJake81 · 02/07/2010, 05:05 PM

so i'm sittin here tryin to think of how to reinforce my cabinet and make one big sump fuge, but then i was thinkin....

could i just plumb off of the drain line into a fuge and a separate sump and have two return pumps? one for the sump and one for the fuge? or would that cause problems or increase my risk of overflow?

i do NOT want an overflow. just moved into a brand new house and i will NOT live to tell the story if my girl comes home to a flooded house.

bertoni · 02/07/2010, 05:20 PM

Having a separate sump and refugium is possible, but I don't think it's possible to split the flow between them safely. I'd have the tank overflow into the refugium, and the refugium overflow into the sump, personally.

Anytime an overflow is added, there's more chance of floods, but I can't quantify the risk.

GQJake81 · 02/07/2010, 06:13 PM

i've heard that for pods and whatnot you should skim in the sump first then go to fuge then the return...or maybe i read that wrong.

eventually i would like to get a setup goin that a mandarin could go into.

bertoni · 02/07/2010, 06:46 PM

I don't think that the order matters much, actually. The skimmer and the refugium are multi-pass filters, in the end, so the order is mostly irrelevant.

GQJake81 · 02/07/2010, 06:49 PM

cool. still think i will probably just try and reinforce the stand and remove the center brace. and run one big sump/fuge. instead of tryin to run two separate units.

MatesonG · 02/07/2010, 06:58 PM

One unit would be best but if you do two seperately tanks do like GQjake81 said

Display to a sump where you skim from them to the fuge then back to the display. You don't want any pods in your skimmer.

But if you can do one unit that would be best, but still skim b4 the fuge.

02/07/2010, 05:05 PM	#1
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	would a separate sump and fuge work? so i'm sittin here tryin to think of how to reinforce my cabinet and make one big sump fuge, but then i was thinkin.... could i just plumb off of the drain line into a fuge and a separate sump and have two return pumps? one for the sump and one for the fuge? or would that cause problems or increase my risk of overflow? i do NOT want an overflow. just moved into a brand new house and i will NOT live to tell the story if my girl comes home to a flooded house.

02/07/2010, 05:20 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Having a separate sump and refugium is possible, but I don't think it's possible to split the flow between them safely. I'd have the tank overflow into the refugium, and the refugium overflow into the sump, personally. Anytime an overflow is added, there's more chance of floods, but I can't quantify the risk. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/07/2010, 06:46 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I don't think that the order matters much, actually. The skimmer and the refugium are multi-pass filters, in the end, so the order is mostly irrelevant. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/07/2010, 06:58 PM	#6
MatesonG Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Canyon, Tx. Posts: 163	Re: would a separate sump and fuge work? One unit would be best but if you do two seperately tanks do like GQjake81 said Display to a sump where you skim from them to the fuge then back to the display. You don't want any pods in your skimmer. But if you can do one unit that would be best, but still skim b4 the fuge. __________________ Thanks, Mat Current Tank Info: 75g Reef ready, 29g sump, DIY skimmer. True Perc Clown, Sailfin tang, Blue Regal, Flame Angel, Three Stripe Damsel, & Diamond Goby

02/07/2010, 06:13 PM	#3
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	i've heard that for pods and whatnot you should skim in the sump first then go to fuge then the return...or maybe i read that wrong. eventually i would like to get a setup goin that a mandarin could go into.

02/07/2010, 06:49 PM	#5
GQJake81 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Indiana Posts: 260	cool. still think i will probably just try and reinforce the stand and remove the center brace. and run one big sump/fuge. instead of tryin to run two separate units.