Refugium Fails and suggestions.

[ericsch12]

Hello Hobbyists,

Any Foolproof suggestions would be appreciated for my next attempt at refugium. I Built my tank and ordered 2 pond pumps. Then i created 2 waterproof water floats. I was going to have the upwards pump rated at 800 GH on all the time and the floats on the down pump rated same. The flow was higher down than up of course since the up flow seems to slow it down but when the pump turned off it would flow slow enough for up pump to slowly move water level down until Float turned back on. Everything seemed to work and was still running in the morning except 30 gallons of water was on my floor. The up pump was on still and under water still in the bottom tank but no water flow. I think the propeller got jammed! Any suggestion on equipment that will keep that from happening.

 

[mfinn]

If I understand your issue correctly, you are using a pump to send water up to a tank from a sump, then another pump to send it back down?

It just isn't going to work.
The tank needs to have a overflow, with a continuous siphon.

 

[ericsch12]

If I understand your issue correctly, you are using a pump to send water up to a tank from a sump, then another pump to send it back down?

It just isn't going to work.
The tank needs to have a overflow, with a continuous siphon.

Correct then the overflow float switch was set to turn off down pump when water level gets to high on the upwards pump side.

 

[Sdot]

Correct then the overflow float switch was set to turn off down pump when water level gets to high on the upwards pump side.

Id have to agree with @mfinn, your pumps will never pump the same...way to many variables for them to work. I suggest getting a sump with a fuge built in or adding an external fuge to your existing sump using an overflow style drain to get water to your main sump. I decided to go with the latter for my new build

 

[mfinn]

Correct then the overflow float switch was set to turn off down pump when water level gets to high on the upwards pump side.

Sorry, but no matter how automated you make it, with switches, valves, controllers, or what ever, using 2 pumps pumping up and then down, just never works.

Aquarium pumps just don't pump consistently enough to work opposite of each other like that.

You need to either drill the tank ( best way) for a permanent drain, or get a good quality hang-on overflow box, and use a single pump designed for saltwater. I put a emphasis on saltwater pump. I've seen some pond pumps that really don't belong in saltwater.

 

[gotmesalty77]

So want to plumb in my system a frag tank and move my Ato, the system would be either next to or avbove the sump. any tips before i get this under way