add a 2nd overflow to fuge?

Sorry for the noob question but would I be able to add a 2nd overflow and have it plumbed only to the fuge and then have the fuge drain to the sump? my refugium isnt in the sump so idk what else to try besides putting a tee fitting on my overflow all ready, but there would be to much plumb than Ide like. I already have a overflow that drains to the sump. I dont know if the overflow to the fuge would back up and spill everywhere.

 

You can do it but your sump has to be large enough to accept the water from the extra overflow. Sump for a 340g reef

 

I used to have a sump and a refugium, and each item had its own return pump, and its own overflow. So there were two overflow boxes coming off the DT, and two returns back, one from the fuge, and one from the sump. It didn't work particularly well because I was unable to regulate the flow from each box to each device underneath. Often, the sump would become more full than I wanted, or the fuge would, and even though I had a ball valve on each return pump, they never would reach equilibrium. It was a couple of years ago, and it was probably a very bad idea to begin with.

I like your idea about having your fuge empty into your sump. That simplifies things with having only one return. My two return pumps were probably the reason things never leveled out b/w the two. I wonder, though if one HOB overflow, T'd off and regulated with a gate valve, would be a better idea than two separate overflow boxes.

Here's what you do want--of the entire flow leaving your DT, you want at least 75% going to the sump, and the remaining 1/4 or so to the fuge. (80/20 would probably be fine too, and some would say 90/10). If you could do it off one overflow box, T'd to regulate flow to each, and then have the fuge empty into the sump--utilizing only 1 return pump, I think you'd have a lot more control over things, and that's a really good thing!

Perhaps someone who's done this could chime in.

Good luck!!

 

My refugium tees off the main 1" overflow line into 1/2" and a ball valve so I can regulate the flow. I think seperate overflows would be a pain to balance and you probably want less flow in the fuge.

 

Yes, as stated--if you could achieve this with just one overflow box, and one return pump, I think you'd be golden.

Perhaps you can utilize something like this coming off the bottom of your single overflow box:



This, and many other odd PVC manifolds and wye connectors can be found here

 

my overflow goes into the sump skimmer section, then through the bubble trap to the return section which houses my return pump. My return pump has a T in the pipe so one is the tank return and one goes to the fuge. Both have a valve on them to regulate flow. Also my fuge drains right back into the return section so that any good pods or "stuff" either goes to the tank or back to the fuge, bypassing the skimmer at all costs..

 

I would stick to one overflow. If you use two but only one return pump you'll reduce the flow through your siphon tubes. They will then accumulate bubbles and reduce the flow or break siphon completely causing your tank to overflow.

I have one overflow. I use a valve to adjust flow into the sump or the fuge. If the valve is closed all flow goes into the sump. If it is open 99% goes into the fuge. The fuge flows into the sump. Here are some pics.

The valve is mostly hidden behind the light. You can see part of the green handle. This valve is roughly 25% open so the flow into the fuge stays low and 75% backs up and flows into the sump to the right at the tee above the valve.


Here you can see how water lows out of the fuge and moves to the sump. Just a simple bulkhead.



Here you can see my sump. You really cant see the PVC bringing the water from the valve but you can see where water enters the sump from the fuge. I use 3 panels of acrylic to set the level of the fuge and left side of the sump tank. The extra panels serve as a bubble trap. The return pump is in the right side. That is technically the sump. The container on top of the sump is fresh water for a gravity fed auto top off using a simple float valve.

 

You could just use a overflow with 2 outputs, that how mine is.one plumbs to the sump the other goes to the fuge.