Great update. So many thoughts...you sure you need that coraline stuff? because those rocks look great!
About putting a pump in the sump to feed the refugiums. How does that work for avoiding overflows at the other aquariums? Maybe I am tired and need a crayon drawing?
Do you manual top off your invert QT? What kind of maintenance do you keep up on with it? Mine is shut down now, and I often felt like it was a second aquarium.
The rocks have this weird purplish grey stain on them that isn’t coraline, but I can’t scrub off. Doesn’t even really bleach off either. I personally don’t like the subdued look, and would prefer s more punchy purple or vibrant pink.
About the fuge flow- my main fuge will just overflow back into the return chamber over the weir. It’s the last 30” of the 125 sump. The cryptic fuge has a couple 1.5” bulkheads in a short side and is raised 6” compared to the main sump, so again, it’ll just overflow back into the sump. Feeding it with 1/2 inch, the 3” combined overflow capacity will be fine.
I’m going to put a high level float switch in the cryptic to turn the pump off via apex if, for whatever reason, the bulkheads do block and the water level rises.
Yeah- I manually top off the invert qt. To be honest- most of those things are pretty tolerant so it’s like 2 cups rodi 3 times a week. I marked the level with a chalk pen and if I see it low I just dump a cup in. WC 20% every 3-4 weeks, maybe. Again, it’s cuc, tiger conchs right now. Once I get the tube anemone and dusters, I’ll be a bit more hands on.
My first cuc package got 1 20% WC 3 weeks into their 76 days. Nothing else. Occasional top off. I found zero empty shells other than the half dozen the hermit crabs vacated.
Coral QT has an apex controlled auto top off and I do 25%wc every 9-10 days. Scrape the glass when I want to see the pretty fluorescence, feed reef roids twice a week broadcast, target feed a small chunk of ocean feast to the pinwheels once every two weeks. Put some pellets in for the emerald crab and the snails every week or so.
Once my ATO container (10g) for the coral qt goes low, I’m moving it from beside the tank to underneath, in the cabinet. That’ll free up a 2’ section of worktop. Not sure what I’m putting there. Probably shouldn’t put anything in there. Was thinking maybe the phytofarm, but I decided to keep it in the fishroom. Contained environment.
Cheers!