I have mine set up so that a pump pulls water from the tank and dumps it
into the refugium where it then gravity flows back to the tank. I have one
large pipe that the water flows through into the tank. It is a one inch pipe
that has a one inch ball valve in it so I can control the water level in the
refugium, as well as try and keep some air from entering the tank. Above
that, I have a second return plumbed to my sump. That way, if for some
reason, the water level gets above the first return, it can then flow down
to the sump. It is a back up overflow. Seems to work good, however, there
are some distinct disadvantages to this style of refugium.
1. The return from the refugium has to be above the tank. This means
that you have to raise your refugium up above you tank, and unless you have
a closet or something you can stick it in, it takes away from the display
tank, basically, it is sort of ugly. Not to mention that you will have tubes
and wires that you have to run down from the refugium and you have to have a
shelve or something to put it on.
2. You will get air from your refugium that makes it into the display
tank. No matter what I have tried, I get air bubbles from my refugium that
gets into my display. It is not a ton, but you do get them.
3. You have to watch the level in your refugium closely. It can rise or
fall, and if it rises, although I have a back up overflow, the back up can
not keep up with the pump for a long period of time.
I plan to make some adjustments, and those are to:
1. Run the refugium to the sump. That will eliminate the bubbles in the
tank.
2. Lower the refugium. I want to get it out of my direct line of site
when I am looking at the tank. If I run it to the sump, I only have to have
the top of the refugium higher than my sump. Instead of being 4 feet of the
ground, it can be a couple.
3. Change the overflow system to the durso overflow system. That would
ensure that it would stay quiet and have a high flow capacity. I will still
keep the back up overflow attached, but I don't think I will have to worry
about it as much.
I am not to concerned about the pumps killing the organisms we want to keep
alive. I used to be, but now I think a large percentage of htem will make it
just fine. Also, my main use for the refugium is to hold caleurpa, critters
are just an added benefit.
FWIW
Shane C.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2001 2:44 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: need help
Greetings! There are several ways to plumb a refugium. Some people
have it
under the tank. This way, water is gravity fed from the tank to the
refugium
and pumped back to the tank....just like a sump. Another way is to
place the
refugium above the sump and allow refugium water to gravity feed the
refugium
and gravity feed back to the sump. Another method is to place the
refugium
above the tank and gravity feed water back to the tank...avoiding
the sump
all together. Another method is to pump water from the tank and then
gravity
feed it back to the sump. Otherwise you can have even water levels
in the
refugium and tank and then siphon or pump water back and forth. Mine
is
set-up above the sump. I use a small powerhead to pump water from
the tank to
the refugium. It then flows by gravity to the sump where it is
returned to
the tank. Amphipods and baby strombus snails seem to survive the
skimmer, CR,
and return pumps because I find them alive (before they are eaten)
in the
display tank. Many people discourage running refugium return water
through
power heads/ pumps as it can damage/kill the very things you are
trying to
propagate....
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