Keeping refugium/sump level with display tank?

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by frankdontsurf, Sep 24, 2013.

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  1. frankdontsurf

    frankdontsurf Astrea Snail

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    Hey folks..

    My 10 gallon display tank is on my kitchen counter, there is no way to put a 5 gallon fuge under it. Is there a way to have both of these level? I have space behind my display tank so I figured why not make a nice display-fuge but I don't know the mechanics of how this would work.. In my head I see an ebbflo setup with float switches and multiple pumps but that's more trouble than I want..

    :D
     
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  3. Marshall O

    Marshall O Giant Squid

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    Under no circumstance do you want to rely on float switches and multiple pumps. This would only end in failure :(

    Easiest way to do this is to directly connect the two tanks by drilling both. You would want to raise the 5 gallon to get it above the 10, where the baffle height in the 5 gallon was higher than the height of water in to the 10 gallon. Then just pump water from the 10 into the 5 and let it drain gravity into the 10. Kind of a backwards way to do it since essentially the 10 gallon is really the "sump", but it would work.

    Otherwise, the other way to do it is to install an overflow box in the 10, drill it and have it drain into the 5. Then pump it back into the 10. I am just not sure if you have enough height difference between the two tanks to make it work.
     
  4. boosted_msp

    boosted_msp Plankton

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    Couldn't you make a "U" tube between the two and then have one pump. Essentialy like a giant eshopps box. The "u"tube would always try to keep the two tanks water level the same.
     
  5. Marshall O

    Marshall O Giant Squid

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    To keep Utubes "functional", you need a decent amount of flow. Where the tanks would at the same height essentially, there would be very little "suction" from the lower side. So basically I think you would overflow the tank that was being pumped into as the siphon would not be able to keep up.

    To see what I mean, take an air hose and start a siphon draining into the bucket. Then raise it so it is almost level with the height of water in the tank. Flow will go from a steady stream to just about nothing.
     
  6. boosted_msp

    boosted_msp Plankton

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    I see what you mean. But the eshopps box works fine. And its basically the same thing. I believe it could work with some tinkering but im not sure how reliable it would be.

    I've seen this question asked multiple times tho. Possibly when I break my qt down, ill use my two 10 gals as an experiment to see if it can be accomplished.
     
  7. Marshall O

    Marshall O Giant Squid

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    Actually, it is not the same. The reason the Eshopps works is both sides of the Utube(s) is submerged. Then from there water is free to overflow the chamber in the outer box down to the sump. The act of water flowing out of the Utube, into the chamber, and then down to the sump is what keeps the siphon going. In your case, you would have both sides submerged but since the water heights would be almost identical, there would be little to no flow; certainly not enough to keep the Utube free of air.
     
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  9. Peredhil

    Peredhil Giant Squid

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    I've seen someone that had a tank, little bigger than yours, but he epoxied in some acrylic panels and essentially made the side of his tank the sump and the other, larger side, the DT. Kind of similar to those nano cubes. Just a thought to chew on.

    Personally with a 10 gallon, I'd skip the sump and do 50 - 100% water changes routinely...
     
  10. frankdontsurf

    frankdontsurf Astrea Snail

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    Thanks, it's a kitchen counter I don't really have any place to go up or down just parallel on the same counter top. I'm thinking some sort of overflow box like you said. The goal is to have a place with live rock, macro, and to let pods grow.

    You pretty much asked what I needed, thanks.

    What about a custom made overflow with a significantly larger diameter return hose? Maybe .5" & 1.5" would this let the pace be equal? I would like my ATO on this so I wouldn't want to cause a 17 gallon spill (10gal dt, 5gal fuge, 2gal
    ATO).. Lol even though it could be made to go right into the sink.
     
  11. SPINNER

    SPINNER Fire Shrimp

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    Keeping both water heights the same drill both tanks and install two 1/2" bulkheads (total of four bulkheads two each tank) install screens and water will balance between the two no pumps needed.

    I would install about 1/3 up from bottom of 10 gallon this height should work out in a good area on the 5 gallon once raised so water heights are the same. Make the five all refugium so baffles won't be needed. It will act as one tank:)
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2013
  12. frankdontsurf

    frankdontsurf Astrea Snail

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    Might just do a 10 gallon and use it in an L type shape and should work the same..