Refugium fail

[JeffryD]

I have a 75g tank with a 40g sump and 10g refugium. My refugium is setup like an overflow. A pump moves water from the sump to the refugium. Water returns to the sump via a bulkhead & PVC. Tonight a piece of chaeto blocked the bulkhead which caused the refugium to overflow. Two questions:

1. Is there a better method to move water from the refugium to the sump?
2. How are you keeping debris such as chaeto from clogging the bulkhead?

Thank you!

 

[ZachR32]

If the fuge and sump are on the same level you could attach them with a 2 inch bulkhead or any size really and let the water free flow between them

 

[Goodair]

Could you post a picture of the setup?

 

[garbled]

Generally if you use a return pipe method for something, you want 2. One which does the majority of the work, and then a second, usually set higher, that is a backup. The second prevents the overflow when the first one clogs.

You might also look at a big grate or box to put around the overflow to give lots of area that the algae has to clog before it's an issue.

 

[Hermie]

add a big box made of plastic mesh to screen anything before contacting the refugium outlet

 

[xaflatoonx]

My fuge is custom built.
I got and overflow box installed on it. Just like a regular tank.

Then I had two holes in it - and they both connect and drop into the sump as a single drain. That was my way of failsafing it.