Dual sump/refugium, does this look ok?

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

Kinda crude pic, Herbi drain from tank into sump tank, through two 7" filter socks, into standard sump area for (probes, heaters, chiller), than bubble trap to return area.

Two bulkheads from there, one for skimmer pumps and other to return pump.

Skimmer will dump into refugium tank, through bubble wall to return area.

Both return areas connected with a t fitting.

Both tanks are acrylic 100s, 60x18x18

FL_Reefer · May 23, 2016

The return pump may pull more water from the bottom side than from the refuge side. You may have some issues there. Why not just make it return from the refuge side?

DustyXB9Reefer · May 23, 2016

I'm still trying to figure out why you wouldn't put your skimmer in the sump?...

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

FL_Reefer said:
The return pump may pull more water from the bottom side than from the refuge side. You may have some issues there. Why not just make it return from the refuge side?

There not stacked, side by side under the tank(72x60x24). Sorry my diagram is rough. Thanks

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

DustyXB9Reefer said:
I'm still trying to figure out why you wouldn't put your skimmer in the sump?...

External skimmer, MRC MR2

DustyXB9Reefer · May 23, 2016

I'd have the sump feed the fuge and have the return pump pull off the one only. Not both.

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

No real way to feed five from Sump with out Using a pump to pump from sump to refugium. Be next to impossible to match flow from tanks over flow that way. Refugium will be set to 15" water depth vs sumps 10"

Zac · May 23, 2016

I think the issue will be adjusting it so the one or the other won't overflow. I think it would be easier to have a dual or 2 over flow boxes with pumps for both or you could push the 2 together drill holes though both and put bulkheads as over flow for both then you could have just one pump.

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

Zac said:
I think the issue will be adjusting it so the one or the other won't overflow. I think it would be easier to have a dual or 2 over flow boxes with pumps for both or you could push the 2 together drill holes though both and put bulkheads as over flow for both then you could have just one pump.

The problem with this, two pump and two overflows never flow the exact same. There has to be a crossover to keep them linked at some point.

They can not be set right next to each othe due to tank supports.

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

This is kinda modeled after the old Oceanic system one and two set ups. Two sumps, one a wet dry being fed by one overflow and the second being there "reef" sump holding the skimmer being feed from the second overflow. From the bulkhead in the sumps hoses would run into a t. The 3rd leg of the t was connected to the return pump, than back to the tank.

Zac · May 23, 2016

Let me rephrase I typed it all wrong. You could have a one overflow box running to just one or have dual running one hose to one sump and one to the other or you could do any set up you want or run 2 pumps but yes the 2 sump would have to be connected like push together with bulkheads or a couple bulkheads down low with a hose. As long as the 2 sumps are connected some how it won't matter if u run one pump or 2 or 1 or 2 overflows. I'll draw a pic what I'm trying to say.

Zac · May 23, 2016

The only part that would scare me is having the return pump on like a T pulling from both

zach_discus · May 23, 2016

Ahh, had a set up like the first diagram and may go that route again. Not wanting to push that much flow through the refugium (4300gph return pump vs 1100gph skimmer pump). Plus having multiple valves on the overflow drain turned into a massive tuning problem and inconsistent water level in the overflow.

Info I forgot is overflow is a Herbi with 2" drains.