Fuge plumbing question

[hoho19]

http://puddleglum.hohimer.us/reef/02092006/fulltank.jpg

My overflow is functions and everything, but I think that no water is flowing into my fuge...it's all going into the sump side. You can see from the picturea above that the inlet is the U in the tank and then it goes to the sump and then to the fuge.

Is there some sort of suction that I've created that makes all the water go into the sump side and none heads over to the fuge? Because you want enough flow to make your cheato slowly roll right?

I can post more pictures tonight if necessary.

Thanks
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[hoho19]

Maybe I just answered my own question but is it because that the sump side pipe is lower than the fuge side pipe?

[hammondegge]

wye off the drain line, then install ball valves on lines (one to sump, one to fuge) then you will be able to moderate the flow to each.
where is the tee before the first ball valve going to?

[hoho19]

wye off the drain line, then install ball valves on lines (one to sump, one to fuge) then you will be able to moderate the flow to each.
where is the tee before the first ball valve going to?

the top of the T goes to a priming pipe for the overflow and the bottom goes to the overflow to the tank.
I used this design from somebody on reefcentral.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y259/fidojoe/overflow1.jpg[/img]

[Ping]

I am not sure if I understand what you need help with. I have low flow through my fuge. It comes in one side of the fuge and exits the other. My cheato grows thick and fast and is too thick to roll.

[hoho19]

I am not sure if I understand what you need help with. I have low flow through my fuge. It comes in one side of the fuge and exits the other. My cheato grows thick and fast and is too thick to roll.

I don't think there is ANY flow through my fuge... It feels like there is no flow when I stick my hand in there.

[Ping]

I have the same type of drain on my smaller system. Mine is a little different, but the same principle. What I think Hammondegge is saying: split the drain plumbing to go to both your fuge and sump at the same time, not in series.

[hammondegge]

yep, what ping said.
is your return pump in your sump or fuge?

[hoho19]

Yeah I got what he said and I'll try that this weekend. :)

I have the same type of drain on my smaller system. Mine is a little different, but the same principle. What I think Hammondegge is saying: split the drain plumbing to go to both your fuge and sump at the same time, not in series.

[taldrich13]

I thought caulerpa was supposed to roll, not cheato. My cheato doesn't move at all being stuffed in one of my nano cube chambers and it has grown like a weed. I think if you give it light it will grow...rolling, not rolling, upside down, in a vacuum,etc :lol

[hoho19]

yep, what ping said.
is your return pump in your sump or fuge?

It's in the middle. Maybe this crude picture will help.


| | | |
| | | |RETURN |
|SUMP | | | AREA |FUGE |
| | | |
-----------------------------------

[hammondegge]

i see. i took a look at your other post with a photo of the sump/fuge. it looks like the return pump is not on at the top of this post. when the return pump is on you want the return area water level to be lower than the fuge wall so that the fuge will slowly overflow into the sump return.

[hoho19]

i see. i took a look at your other post with a photo of the sump/fuge. it looks like the return pump is not on at the top of this post. when the return pump is on you want the return area water level to be lower than the fuge wall so that the fuge will slowly overflow into the sump return.
The return pump is on...There is extra water in the sump/fuge because I added some live rock and didn't take any water out (don't worry there is still enough room when the pump is off to handle the drainage).

[hammondegge]

i think that the fuge would work better with a partition wall that is higher that the sump walls. in other words the fuge would maintain a higher water level than the sump. this would keep better isolated.