adding refugium, comments?

[mark]

Looking for for some feedback to layout of a refugium I'll be adding. Purpose of the ref is for nutrient control from cheato pruning and area for pods.

A 20g refugium will sit above and to the side of sump. Supply (blue) will be from teeing into one of the 2" drains (~500gph) and flow controlled by a valve on the downward leg from the tee. Planning on using the drain rather than the tee I already have on the sump return line as don't want to reduce the flow from the display tank. If detritus becomes a problem could add filter sock.

Within the ref I'll build an internal overflow (coast to coast) box on the upper left side, with a 1" bulkhead. The return line (red) will then feed into the skimmer compartment of the sump or further across to the last baffle compartment before the return pump.

LR, cheato and light will be moved to the ref and crushed coral added.

[Tarolisol]

Sounds like a good plan to me, just make sure the tank isnt tempered.

[mseepman]

Looks like a sound plan. Make sure you take pictures so that we see how the build is going, fuges on here are a popular topic and the more pictures of one coming together, the better.

I would look into other options than the crushed coral for the bottom though, like Live Sand for example. If you search on here or many other forums, you will find various arguements for or against a sand bed in the fuge. Take a good look at them and I'm sure you'll find some advice that makes sense. I am in the process of doing a sump/fuge and I just don't have the room for a DSB, but it's what my next fuge will have.

[mark]

Did the sunglass thing and don't see checkering so assume good to drill.

Thinking the crushed coral or coral chucks for pods as when I had a DSB, always seemed more pods on the rock than on the sand.

As for the overflow, since don't really have the height for the ref to drain downward first, the bulkhead with face outward then pipe will run horizontal for a least 16" before turning down. Any problems with this for flow? Noise really not an issue as in the basement but wondering about that as well.

[Pescador]

Maybe a mud refugium? Looks like a nice spot for mangroves as well.
(I'm biased.) You would need a small baffle 2"-3" for the supply side.

[untamed]

Originally Posted by mark

As for the overflow, since don't really have the height for the ref to drain downward first, the bulkhead with face outward then pipe will run horizontal for a least 16" before turning down. Any problems with this for flow? Noise really not an issue as in the basement but wondering about that as well.

No problem with the design...but insure that you have lots of overflow capacity in case that pipe gets blocked by something. You could have quite a flood down there before you noticed anything.

[mark]

Originally Posted by Pescador

Maybe a mud refugium? Looks like a nice spot for mangroves as well.
(I'm biased.) You would need a small baffle 2"-3" for the supply side.

Think pass on the mud, but have a piece of 4" thin walled conduit set aside to make a bubble tower.

[mark]

Originally Posted by untamed

No problem with the design...but insure that you have lots of overflow capacity in case that pipe gets blocked by something. You could have quite a flood down there before you noticed anything.

Flooding is a fear, which has me thinking, wouldn't be too difficult (in theory) to wire up a moisture sensor that would trip out the return pump if got a leak in the mech room. Would leave the CL running for circulation (aeration). Could also have in series a upper limit sensor on the sump, would save me from the wife and the tank from the auto topoff.

See often 600gph gravity for a 1" bulkhead, would that need to be reduced if mounted sideways?

[mark]

well bulkhead doesn't work, details here with pictures and video.

[Pescador]

Would it make any difference if you had more of down angle on the return.
Maybe by using flex from the bulkhead or raising the ref? Maybe the air could get out easier and give you more flow?