refugium please help!!!!

[jdbassin]

I want to build a refugium but I'm not clear on how to get the water to pump in and out of each tank without using a hang-on version. I'm wanting to locate the refugium next to the display tank at about an equal height.

[Geoff]

Welcome to TRT!!!



water always want to go downhill, use this, do not fight it. one pump is all you will need. trying to match pumps is impossible.

do you want to build a sump out of acrylic or out of someother material. using overflows is not necessarily a good idea. it is better to just have a bulkhead at the top of the refugium so that water can fall out of the refugium and into either the display or into a sump. you would use a small pump to put the water into the refugium and then the water would fall back out through the bulkhead. if you look at mine you will see that the refugium is higher than the display so that gravity will feed the tank from the refugium.

G~

[jdbassin]

That's kind of how I figured it would have to go. As far as locating the sump under the tank. How do you control the flow of water? if it drains to fast the sump would overflow. if the pump is to big it would run dry. Sorry if this all seems silly but I'm relatively new to the hobby.

[jdwest43]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/ref...tups/index.htm
here is a link with a couple diagrams Im apicture person
jdw

[Geoff]

as long as the overflow is rated to at least what the pump can put out at the head pressure, no flooding should occur. the overflow can only move as much water as can enter the overflow. if a return pump is not adding water to the tank than the overflow will not get any water into the overflow. they all reach a nice equilibrium. the problem occurs when the pump is stronger than the overflow. you will end up overflowing the display. the overflow will not be able to keep up and the pump will just keep cranking until the sump is dry, or until all the water overflowing the display fills the sump back up.

G~

[jdbassin]

Thanks y'all I think I've got the concept now! This site is awesome.

jd