Refugium ??

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by emtp380, May 11, 2007.

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  1. emtp380

    emtp380 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I am wanting to add a refugium to my new(and first)55 gal. setup. I am going to try to DIY it using a 20gal. tank. The question I have is can't I incorparote the skimmer, heater, and sump pump all in this refugium?? The refugium will be under the main tank. Will the sump pump pull the water from the main tank into the refugium?? and how does it move accross the refugium and back into the main tank?? My plans are to have the heater in the center which will be the actully refugium, and the skimmer in the last chamber before going back to the main tank. Does this sound like a good plan?? will it work?? and how about the water pumping to and from the refugium?? Thanks :-/
     
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  3. KOgle

    KOgle Zoanthid

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    To start if your tank isn't drilled you'll need an overflow box to get the water out of the tank and into the sump/fuge. The water will then flow through the fuge and be pumped back into the tank.

    The only problem I see with your plan is running the skimmer last. You'll want to run this before the fuge becasue the skimmer will kill all of the pods and things you'll be growing in the fuge.

    Hope that at least gives you some starting help! Good luck!
     
  4. emtp380

    emtp380 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    So what you are saying is when the water comes out of the tank via the overflow, it should go thru the first chamber with the skimmer in it, then over the baffle into the fuge, the heater will in the fuge, then over the baffles and into the sump chamber. This portion the the fuge is where the pump is to push the water back into the tank. Do I have the right idea of how it is supposed to work??
     
  5. coral reefer

    coral reefer Giant Squid

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    Yes! You also need a pump to work the skimmer! You will need to make sure the skimmer will fit in the sump ok and with enough room for you to have easy access to your skimmate cup and cleaning purposes! Also, skimmers have different (footprints) size of the base and you will have to make sure all the equipment will fit in the sump along with the skimmer and two pumps!!!! IMO, a refugium is going to be out of the question... I would suggest going with either a bigger tank or a hang on fuge!!!!
     
  6. Black_Raven

    Black_Raven Scooter Blennie

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    use a 30g long as a refugium and sump if it will fit under your 55g.
     
  7. emtp380

    emtp380 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    If I use a 30 g, long or even a 40 g, which I may have the oppurtunity to get it free, I shuold be able to put the sump, skimmer and refugium in the same tank, right?? That is what I would like to do, if so in what order should they be in, in other words the water comes from the tank and into the"???" then into "???" etc. Thanks
     
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  9. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    Try this! If you put the return in the middle and the fuge on one end you can use a T-valve to slow the flow down then it will just drain into your return pump section. The remander of the flow will go into the intake area where the skimmer is. Just make sure you make your retrun pump area kind of large because you will see all your water evaporation in that area of your tank.

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  10. Diver_1298

    Diver_1298 Eyelash Blennie

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  11. emtp380

    emtp380 Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    OK Otty, if I read your diagram right, the water comes from the tank and goes into the skimmer chamber and also into the refug at the same time, the refug's flow is gated down with the ball valve. Both the skimmer side and the refug side dump into the center chamber and retuned to the tank via a pump. Is this right or am I misreading or misunderstanding something. Thanks
     
  12. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    You are correct. That way you can slow the flow to the fuge down to about 1/10 of the tanks volume per hr. 100 gal tank = 10 gph flow across the fuge. A good rule of thumb is 1/10 the tank volume for the size of the refugium too. Just remember about the return pump chamber because that is where you will see all the tanks water evaporation at so if it's not very big and you don't have a auto top off then your pump will starve for water if you forget about it for a couple of days.