Sump/Refugium Design Please critique

[dwdenny]

Please critique my sump/refugium setup design. Good or bad. I hope this is good or it is back to the drawing board. Not sure on the skimmer yet but it will be an in sump model and not external. Intake will be at the skimmer.

[captexas]

I'd move the refugium to the end and have the return section in the middle with both ends overflowing into it. You can split the drain line so part drains into the fuge and part drains into the skimmer area. Also, make the return section a decent size as it will be what affects your water top-off levels. I have a small one in my sump and due to evaporation, the area drops and has to be topped off frequently during the day.

[NaCl_H2O]

I'd move the refugium to the end and have the return section in the middle with both ends overflowing into it. You can split the drain line so part drains into the fuge and part drains into the skimmer area. Also, make the return section a decent size as it will be what affects your water top-off levels. I have a small one in my sump and due to evaporation, the area drops and has to be topped off frequently during the day.

Ditto!

[6LINE]

You can split the drain line so part drains into the fuge and part drains into the skimmer area.

This is mainly so you can have the slow flow throught the 'fuge that is needed. Put a ball valve on it so you can adjust the flow.

[dwdenny]

Tanks for the input I guess overall it is a good design other then moving the return to the middle and making the return a little larger area if I read right. For the return do you think that a 10X12X17 area is enough makes it about 8.83g? I will split the return where more flow goes into the skimmer and some into the fuge. I am going to put an overflow which one do you recommend. I would drill but I am a little nervous about drilling for the sump as I am nervous about flooding so i guess should I use an overflow or drill?

[captexas]

Drilling or using a hang-on overflow is up to you. If something goes wrong or the system isn't set up right, you can flood your place no matter which way you go. Just remember to keep the baffles in the tank lower than the full height of the sump to allow for some extra drainage in a power outage. Depending on how you do your return lines, the water in the tank will siphon back down into the sump until it gets lower than the return line outlets if the pump shuts off. I've tried using a check valve to prevent that, but they clog and wear out easily.

[dwdenny]

I was thinking of going with amiricle overflow I looked at the CPR and I don't like the fact that you have to use a little pump to keep it working right. As far as the baffles I was planning on 17" tall baffles that gives me roughly about 14 gallons of room to play with. Should I increase the return area or is it big enough as is at 6X12X17 5.29g I would like as big of a fuge as possible.

[captexas]

It all depends on how much water will drain from the main tank if the return pump shuts off. You will have to figure that out based on the placement of the return(s) in the tank. I haven't used either of those overflows but have used the Lifereef overflow and it works really well, just a bit on the pricey side though.

[dwdenny]

Thaanks for the information