Where's the skimmer??

[lanman]

Obviously I haven't been paying enough attention. How does this look for plumbing up my system with 33-gallon frag, 20-gallon refugium, 40-gallon sump, 58-gallon display??

 

 

And where do you usually put a skimmer if it's in the sump?? Near the incoming water? Middle? Outgoing water?? System will be around 140 gallons of water. I think I need a REAL skimmer.

 

thanks,

bob

[Jager]

skimmer at the incoming water. id try to have the refugium gravity fed, or at least after the refugium so the skimmer gets as much dirty water as possible. the erfugium will help catch micro bubbles too.

[lanman]

skimmer at the incoming water. id try to have the refugium gravity fed, or at least after the refugium so the skimmer gets as much dirty water as possible. the erfugium will help catch micro bubbles too.

 

Well... I intend to have the sump under the tank stand (big stand) with just a 8-10" drop from the bottom of the RR overflow into the sump; and can't think of any way to gravity feed the main tank water to the separate refugium. So I'm planning a second pump to the frag tank (same as it is now), and gravity feed the frag tank into the refugium, then gravity-feed the refugium into the sump. I think it's the best I can do. Right now the refugium is IN the (20-gallon) sump, with both the main (45) tank and the frag tank overflowing into it. But certainly open to suggestions.

 

bob

[flowerseller]

I would have the fuge drain into the main display or the frag tank with the sump as a last choice.

I don't really care how the water gets there, so long as the fuge doesn't drain right into the sump.

[DEEPBLUE]

Also you don't want the refugium water being skimed before it goes back into the frag or main tank, because you will be defeating the whole purpose of an refugium.

 

Eric

[Brian]

Would it be better to just use a larger tank for a sump/fuge combo? That is what I have yet to plan out but I'm going to have the fuge and sump in the same place. Just have the water drain into the sump with a compartment for the skimmer where the water comes. The next section will have my fuge and then the third section will have the return pumps. If I had a frag tank I would then put in or split off the returns to both tanks.

 

It seems in the setup you are going to have that not all the water is going to see the benefit of the fuge before going back into the main tank or frag tank. Now if you could have the water go from your sump into the fuge then have it pumped into the main and frag tank I think that would be a better idea. Unless, and this would be plumbing insanity but have the water go through the sump and have it pumped into the fuge then back to the main display and frag tank.

[shawns]

judging by what others have said, i would consider putting the return pump to the main tank between the skimmer and the return from the frag/fuge loop. i would also sandwich the return pump w/ acrylic dividers that have baffles cut into the tops of them. that way the skimmer water and the water from the oher loop are never really in contact. or.....

 

you could consider moving the pump were i had said, put the 1 baffle between the skimmer and the pump, and allow the return from the loop to dump into the section were the pump is.

 

catch all that??? just some ideas to consider. have fun and let us know what you decide!

[lanman]

Also you don't want the refugium water being skimed before it goes back into the frag or main tank, because you will be defeating the whole purpose of an refugium.

 

Eric

 

I figure the refugium is for extracting some organics, and filtering the water. I don't think it ADDS anything to the water that the skimmer will then take out?? My only concern is that the 'bugs' in the fuge that get into the water stream will get chopped up by the skimmer. So perhaps THAT overflow should be near the return pumps.

 

bob

[dchild]

FWIW, I plunked my return pump in the middle of my fuge, which is half of my sump (2 rubbermaids). The skimmer's in the other half. My thinking is that I get a bigger fuge that way, and that quantity makes up for ineffeciency. The pods do get chopped up but my fish are quick Plus I can support a higher population of pods. It's space-efficient and easy.