Question on fuge sump idea

skennelly · 04-22-2005, 07:57 AM

I want to ad a fuge to my existing sump, but I don't want to use a bulk head to attach the new fuge sump to my existing main sump. My idea is to use a C tube like what's used in an overflow box, but bigger. When both ends of the C tube are submerged and the air is taken out a syphon will be formed. Will water circulate between the 2 sumps effectively using this method?

Jason McKenzie · 04-22-2005, 08:26 AM

I don't think so??? There isn't anything to force water from one to the other. If the Fug was higher then it would drain using your Idea into the Sump. But side by side would never work.

J

Matt Rogers · 04-22-2005, 08:31 AM

I think that would only work if the refugium were higher off the ground than the sump and the U-tubes were longer on the sump side. Need to get the gravity thing going on.

skennelly · 04-22-2005, 08:50 AM

I need to rethink this out...I'm just lazy I don't want to dismantle my current sump in order to ad the refugium which is what I would have to do if I put in a bulkhead.

Thanks for the input Jason and Matt.

Birdlady · 04-22-2005, 03:48 PM

What if the water level was higher in one tank and flowed into a tank with a lower water level....would that make it work?

NUHTTY · 05-05-2005, 07:38 AM

Raise one up and use an overflow system, either drilled or hang-on. The "U" siphon never works as their is not enough force to draw the water and keep the siphon from breaking.

Grecian_IG · 06-05-2005, 09:19 AM

skennelly your idea (using a C tube) will work, just that you will need a weir or an overflow box. Your refugium should be slightly elevated in relation to your existing sump and it will work.

What will be rather hard to eyeball is the RATE OF FLOW from the ref to the sump, which has to match -at all times, which is the difficult part- your other two flows (from tank to refugium and then from the sump back to the tank).

Your idea is doable, if you figure out how to successfully control the rate of flow in the wier.

Phil5613 · 06-05-2005, 10:57 AM

I usually raise the refuge, T the return line to go from the sump to both the return on the tank and feed the fuge then either bulk head the return from the refuge to the sump or..... I have purchase a single over flow box from a lfs and used it as the return to the sump just put the collection side in the refuge and the other side over the sump. The advantage to tapping the return from the sump to the refuge is if return pump dies the ruge doesnt flood out but restarts when pump is running again. I use a ball valve to adjust flow to the fuge.