External refugium question

[Cthulukelele]

Hi all,

So I'm planning to make a removable 20 gallon external refugium for my 120. My tank doesn't have an additional area for fuge in the sump. My plan was to drill 2 holes offset into a 20 gallon tank positioned a bit higher than My sump, then to pump water up into the 20gal to gravity flow back into the sump return area. I have attached a schematic. The fuge will run with a kessil h80 and be lined with some rubble rock and hopefully rolling chaeto.

My main question is how dumb is this, and what size holes to make. I know I'll need to seal it with silicone and use a baffle. Any comment is helpful!

 

[Dan_P]

Hi all,

So I'm planning to make a removable 20 gallon external refugium for my 120. My tank doesn't have an additional area for fuge in the sump. My plan was to drill 2 holes offset into a 20 gallon tank positioned a bit higher than My sump, then to pump water up into the 20gal to gravity flow back into the sump return area. I have attached a schematic. The fuge will run with a kessil h80 and be lined with some rubble rock and hopefully rolling chaeto.

My main question is how dumb is this, and what size holes to make. I know I'll need to seal it with silicone and use a baffle. Any comment is helpful!

View attachment 2940468

I did this. I have a one inch drain which is too small for a decent flow. Also, if the height difference is to small, the flow back to the sump can be choked if the return end to flow into sump is submerged. A pipe bigger than one inch fixes the choked flow possibilty

 

[Cthulukelele]

I did this. I have a one inch drain which is too small for a decent flow. Also, if the height difference is to small, the flow back to the sump can be choked if the return end to flow into sump is submerged. A pipe bigger than one inch fixes the choked flow possibilty

Got it! The goal is to have the pipes slightly submerged so they're quieter, so I'll go with 2 slightly offset 1.5 inch pipes! My only concern is if things back up on the sump gravity flow pipes. How would I go about setting up some sort of float switch for the fuge pump?

 

[Cthulukelele]

Or is that me being overly concerned? I was thinking a controllable return pump would be nice for this application

 

[Dan_P]

Got it! The goal is to have the pipes slightly submerged so they're quieter, so I'll go with 2 slightly offset 1.5 inch pipes! My only concern is if things back up on the sump gravity flow pipes. How would I go about setting up some sort of float switch for the fuge pump?

I have screen in front of my return pipe to minimize the risk of blockage of the return. My tank is in the basement so I can afford a flood

 

[cdbias]

Hi all,

So I'm planning to make a removable 20 gallon external refugium for my 120. My tank doesn't have an additional area for fuge in the sump. My plan was to drill 2 holes offset into a 20 gallon tank positioned a bit higher than My sump, then to pump water up into the 20gal to gravity flow back into the sump return area. I have attached a schematic. The fuge will run with a kessil h80 and be lined with some rubble rock and hopefully rolling chaeto.

My main question is how dumb is this, and what size holes to make. I know I'll need to seal it with silicone and use a baffle. Any comment is helpful!

View attachment 2940468

I did this with a 20L except mine was above the DT. I only had a single drain. Maxi jet in DT pumped up to the fuge and another Maxijet in the fuge to create tumble. Extended pvc from fuge drain to bottom of fuge to suck pods to the DT. I loved how this worked and always wondered why it wasn’t always done like this. Made fuge became a part of the display which was cool on my basement Frankenstein tank.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I have screen in front of my return pipe to minimize the risk of blockage of the return. My tank is in the basement so I can afford a flood

I did this with a 20L except mine was above the DT. I only had a single drain. Maxi jet in DT pumped up to the fuge and another Maxijet in the fuge to create tumble. Extended pvc from fuge drain to bottom of fuge to suck pods to the DT. I loved how this worked and always wondered why it wasn’t always done like this. Made fuge became a part of the display which was cool on my basement Frankenstein tank.

Either of yall have any close calls with the flow getting clogged?

 

[Dan_P]

Either of yall have any close calls with the flow getting clogged?

Before I perfected the screen location and attachment, Ulva started to collect in the drain opening. Caught it after about a 1 gallon loss.

 

[Bridgerdean]

 

[Bridgerdean]

I think you are describing my setup. I did run a 2” drain that heads to the filter socks.

 

[Cthulukelele]

I think you are describing my setup. I did run a 2” drain that heads to the filter socks.

Yeah that's it! I'm going to drill in a 2 inch line, install a bulkhead, and then make a little 2 inch pvc cage on 1 side and plumb it into my return area with a soft tube clamped in.

 

[Bridgerdean]

It works very well. I would recommend a gate valve on your input line to control the flow.

 

[Bridgerdean]

Also sorry my sump is filthy.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Had to update a bit with space constraints. Going to install a 1.5 inch bulkhead with a toothed pvc elbow for flow then there will be 2-3 feet of 1.5 inch flex tubing carrying that to the sump.

 

[Cthulukelele]

A friend and I are going to get to drilling on Tuesday! Very excited to get it all set up. This is the biggest diy addition to my tank since I started, and I'm hoping it turns out how it looks in my head. If it's too loud with the toothed elbow, I'm just going put a piece of pvc with teeth cut into it poking straight out.

 

[Bridgerdean]

Where do you live I’ll send you some free Chaeto when you are ready.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Thanks! Pmed

 

[TokenReefer]

Cool setup. Good luck. I did something similar but overflowed from dt to add tank then add tank to sump then one pump to dt. Curious how the water levels will be. Following

 

[Cthulukelele]

Cool setup. Good luck. I did something similar but overflowed from dt to add tank then add tank to sump then one pump to dt. Curious how the water levels will be. Following

Exactly my curiosity. My expectation is it will be pretty quiet while skimming water, but when the teeth clog and it flows into the top the flow rate will be very high but incredibly loud. May include a float switch in the sump to combat that

 

[Cthulukelele]

Cool setup. Good luck. I did something similar but overflowed from dt to add tank then add tank to sump then one pump to dt. Curious how the water levels will be. Following

Exactly my curiosity. My expectation is it will be pretty quiet while skimming water, but when the teeth clog and it flows into the top the flow rate will be very high but incredibly loud. May include a float switch in the sump to combat that