Refugium ??

That sounds great Otty, let me run an idea by you. Could I bring the water from the tank and into a small chamber of LR pieces and then into the skimmer/heater chamber, then into the return chamber. Could I T off the return line and into the the refug thru a ball valve to limit the flow @ 5.5 lph ( I have a 55 gal.) and the water should travel thru the refug and dump back into the return chamber. The refug will be at least 5.5 gal. or six. My main tank will be a 55 gal. My thinking is I would get cleaner water going into the refug if the water feeding the refug came out of the return line instead of T'ing off the inlet line because the water has already traveled thru the LR bed and the skimmer before it gets to the refug. How does this sound?? Thanks Wyatte

 

You need the water from the display tank going into the refugium not the return pump water. I have a sump/fuge combo that I bring the water in and skim then dump over a LR rubble chamber before it goes back to the display tank. Just make sure the water you are putting in the fuge is straight from the OF not the return pump.

 

I would do the water from the tank into the skimmer area, then to the fuge in the middle and then the return taking it back up to your tank! The baffles system will slow the water flow down somewhat! Also, I wouldn't try to slow down the speed of the water with a ball or gate valve as you put strain on your pump which also will heat up your water due to this stress to the pump IMO!

 

Only place you can't restrict the flow with any type of vale is the inlet of the pump at the out let thats fine and also I'd not pre filter or skim the water before the refugium.. Thats the point of the refugium and not to mention that what you will be skimming out is what the plants needs for food .. Next thing you know they will want to be totally filtering and treating the water before it hits the refugium.. Its a saltwater marsh/swamp and they need the nasty conditions for their feeding needs . Both the flora and fauna in the little boxed swamp .

 

OK, I really do appreciate all the advise I have been getting here, I think I have come up with a plan, How does this sound, The water comes from the tank via a overflow and into the sump/refug thru some LR rubble, thru baffles and into the skimmer chamber, then from the skimmer chamber over into the return sump. Now back up to the inlet pipe, I am going to T off of it and go over to the refug on the other end of the tank, the water will travel thru the refug and into the sump to be returned to the main tank. Basiclly the skimmer chamber and the refug will both dump into the middle chamber to be returned to the main tank. What do you think, ?? Thanks

 

you using a 20 L or 20 H ?

 

I'm going to use either a 30L or 40L

 

For a 55 gallon tank ? Buddy you'd be better off using 2. 10 gallon tanks and have the refugium as a totally isolated refugium and the other for your sump. If toy have that much room I don't think a 30 will fit under the 55 and I know a 40 won't assuming thats what you where going to try I use a 40 breeder as a sump at the moment and a 20 h for the Refugium .

 

Tangster, Funny you suggest 2 10g, just today someone gave me 2 10gs. So that is sounding real good, heres the question,,how would I set that up? am I going to have to run 2 return pumps? one for each tank? or can they be combined somehow to use only one pump? I am going to feed the sump/refug with a overflow/weir box. Am I going to have to put two holes/bulkheads in the overflow or will one work better, then T off one hose to feed both? Also from what I have been understanding is the refug should be 1/10 the size of my main tank, i'm using a 55g so that would be 5.5g. If I used the whole 10g for the refug will that help or hurt? The other tank I will have the in comming water filter over LR rubble and then into the skimmer and then to the sump. The heater I am planning on having in the sump. I think I can handle the first tank with the skimmer/sump, but the refug tank i'm tossing around ideas on how to get the water there and then back out to the main tank. Any and all help will be great. Thanks Wyatte

 

Is this going to be a reef setup? Because a skimmer in a 20 gallon refugium seems like a tight fit.