fuge first??

Naut, you are on the other side of the cusp from me. I think I remember yours was 5/25 mines 5/22.  So happy cuspday. Kinda off subject but happy belated B-day to you.

Drew ;D

 

Ha ha Nope mine is in June.... Gemini and Cancer switch on what day again?

 

The cusp actually goes across from the 22[sup]th[/sup] to the 25[sup]th[/sup], depending on which Astrologer you are talking to...I don't give it musc stock, but I am crazy like a gemini with one foot in Taurus. :

The 'fuge I'm building is a 20gal. It will be under the 80gal on the floor of the cabinet. Pretty basic set-up I guess (none of this is basic to me). Overflow on display tank down into sump/fuge, return back up to display. The skimmer will be in the sump section of the 20gal with a powerhead as a pump. The Mag7 will have a tee off the oulet side with a gang valve off the tee back into the return so I can regulate how much gph is going up the return without creating backpressure on the pump.

Your wonderful idea of the auto return pump (RIO 600) in a 5gal bucket with a float valve on it.

I am going to put a tee, with a gang valve directed back into the sump area, between the skimmer pump and the inlet to the venturi so I can regulate the skimmer better.

What I was asking was, can't I set up the sump/fuge independently as a learning tool? Using another power head for the return pump and just send that water over into the sump area, until I get everything else purchased, put together, lit, wired, plumbed, salted, marinated and otherwise ready to go for the display tank.

I know I can, but do think it would be a good way for me to learn on a small scale how all this stuff works?

Here's a pic, hope it shows OK!!

 

Great diagram there. June 21st and June 22nd is the cusp for Gemini and Cancer. I remember growing up reading the horoscopes and depending on which news paper I was looking at I could be Gemini or Cancer so just picked the one I liked the best and went with that,

My refugium is separate from the sump. Your Idea is better but I can't do it like this as my openings are to small and I would have to drain the tank... so I got a 14 gallon rubbermaid tub for 10 bucks I think it was from Home Depot and set it higher then the sump. Put a bulk head on the rubbermaid refugium and added PVC pipe back to the sump area at about a 10 degree downward angle.

The little rio 800 is in the sump and I attached vinyl tubing over to a spray bar I made out of 1/2 inch PVC.
This way when the power is out it does not overflow anything.



The drain to bulk head has a Pump screen on it now but same setup

 

Nice...hey, you have to deal with the room you've got!


I have the light canopy that came with the 20gal. That will work for the sump/fuge, won't it? It's your basic freshwater light that sets on top, but I could easily suspend it over the 20gal tank. The tank is 16" tall and I've got over 30" of room between the top and floor of the cabinet.
[smiley=thinking2.gif]


The skimmer's gonna be a little trickier because it's almost that tall but I think I can cut an access hole in the top of the cabinet and put a removable cover over
the hole. That way I can remove the cup up through the top for cleaning and such. I haven't quite put that together yet. The skimmer could also sit outside the sump. Lots of options!!

Thanks once again for your input!!

[glow=red,2,300]A-Plumbing I will Go!!![/glow]​

[smiley=builder2.gif]

 

Awesome diagram, dave will take good care of you! Looks good!

 

I must say I am impressed DX, I am definately keeping a copy of that plan for myself

Just a thought would it be worthwhile putting a few holes in the Fug internal walls? Just to help with a bit of water flow in the fug and as a safety device if you forget to top up the water?

John

 

John I am not understanding your idea with the holes at all so could you explain that in more detail please.

Thanks
Dave

 

Sorry Dave, if I was unclear

Looking at the plan view of the drawing I was suggesting a few holes in the walls that create the fug. So the wall between the return compartment and the fug and the wall between the sump/baffles and the fug. Not big holes but enough the allow some water movement "through" the fug rather than just over the top.

Also in case of a problem, such as a loss of water, the current design would leave the fug full of water and the return compartment could run dry. Highly unlikely, I know, but just another thought

John

 

How far down would you suggest these holes be?

I think you have a good idea here. I think hr is putting in a float switch here with a 5 gallon bucket of ro. I don't know if his plan will work correctly but it could be close to what is needed. This is the thing about doing DIY we always get to play with it and fine tune it.
But don't know if you could drill the holes once it was in production.
Would the water in the fuge really circulate that much to do any good on the phosphates? maybe a very small power head would help. what do you think?