External Refugium

galantra · Oct 21, 2021

Looking to add a external Refugium instead of one within the sump.

So my question is how should I plumb this?

1. Via the drain pipe? I am using the beanie animal drain style and thought using one into the sump and other into Refugium that drains into the main sump?

2. Use the mainfold to feed the Refugium and allow that to recycle into the sump?

Looking for the best use of a Refugium and best home for some clownfish

Kodski · Oct 21, 2021

Both options would technically work but option two would be better IMO. If you go with option 1 I would recommend using the secondary drain line as to not push too much water through your refugium. You would just need to make sure that in an emergency where the secondary converts to full siphon, your refugium can handle the added flow.

I personally would go with option 2, because you don't need to worry about needing to handle extra flow, and you can control how much flow you're running through the refugium.

KStatefan · Oct 22, 2021

I use option two in my setup.

Weasel1960 · Oct 22, 2021

Option 3. Buy an external refugium that hangs on your Aquarium or sump. This is what I am designing into my build. It will hang on the side of mu sump, provides a couple of extra gallons, and uses its own low flow pump. Check them out on BRS. They have a couple of videos on them. Fiji Cube is one of the brands.

X-37B · Oct 22, 2021

I use #2 and its very simple to setup.
30 gal fuge attatched to my 120.

Kodski · Oct 22, 2021

Weasel1960 said:
Option 3. Buy an external refugium that hangs on your Aquarium or sump. This is what I am designing into my build. It will hang on the side of mu sump, provides a couple of extra gallons, and uses its own low flow pump. Check them out on BRS. They have a couple of videos on them. Fiji Cube is one of the brands.

OP said he wanted a fuge large enough for a pair of clown fish. So that won’t work

galantra · Oct 23, 2021

Yeah, sounds like manifold will be the winner

Working out the plumbing and sump and we speak

X-37B · Oct 31, 2021

What did you come up with? Any pics?
My 30 gallon fuge is fed by my return line.
I use 2 ball valves to control flow to the fuge and tank. Very simple amd so far is working well.
I have both the 120 overflow and fuge overflow going into the 7" filtersock.
This is my 24x20x18 fuge with 3" sandbed. Its only been running about 2 weeks.

TnFishwater98 · Nov 5, 2021

@90's reefer can you attach more pics on how you set this up. I was looking at doing this about a year ago because I have a non-drilled tank. I called it a side by side refugium but external works. Looks good

X-37B · Nov 5, 2021

TnFishwater98 said:
@90's reefer can you attach more pics on how you set this up. I was looking at doing this about a year ago because I have a non-drilled tank. I called it a side by side refugium but external works. Looks good

I will take some pics tonight when I get home.
Basically you just plumb the fuge drain to the display sump.
Then you tee off the display return to the fuge using a ball valve to control the flow.
My fuge drain goes into the sock and thats about it.
Again I will take some pics in a couple hrs.

X-37B · Nov 5, 2021

TnFishwater98 said:
@90's reefer can you attach more pics on how you set this up. I was looking at doing this about a year ago because I have a non-drilled tank. I called it a side by side refugium but external works. Looks good

Just got home. Here is a pic.
My 7" filter sock is held up by a bungee cord. This is way better than any sock holder, imo.
Any way the bungee is around the display return ball valve. You can see the other ball valve that is going to the fuge. The fuge return is 1" just like my display. Both returns are fed into the sock. Very easy to change the sock every few days.
Anything else just let me know.

kittenbritches · Nov 5, 2021

90's reefer said:
Just got home. Here is a pic.
My 7" filter sock is held up by a bungee cord. This is way better than any sock holder, imo.
Any way the bungee is around the display return ball valve. You can see the other ball valve that is going to the fuge. The fuge return is 1" just like my display. Both returns are fed into the sock. Very easy to change the sock every few days.
Anything else just let me know.

You forgot the pic!