Refugium help

[iplumbsome]

I have a tank build thread, but I thought I might get more responses posting these questions here. I bought this whole set up from a guy out of state and I didn't get much direction on how he had this set up. I have asked him a few questions via email, but I hate bothering him. I don't think he sold the stuff knowing he'd have to answer all my questions. I understand there is a debate on whether or not a refugium is required or not. I wanted to pipe my in regardless because I figured I could benefit from the extra water volume and maybe down the road set it up as a frag tank if I don't use it as a refugium. I posted a couple pics. I don't seem to under stand how this works. Apparantly the previous owner split one of the return lines with a gate valve to supply the refugium and it goes back to the sump via gravity. My question is by the way the baffles are set up in the refugium I don't understand how this thing works. Assuming the water enters on the far right and works it way back to the sump, but the way this set up isn't the water going to just spill over the first baffle and fill up the center section? Am I looking at this wrong or is this thing missing something?

 

[Ocelaris]

The only thing I can think of is that the first section on the right is for filter socks, or if you don't use them, to catch detritus so it doesn't end up in the refugium. I am a big fan of chaeto to maintain nutrients, and then I can feed the tank heavily. I would suggest using a filter pad across the left side of the refugium to keep chaeto from getting onto the other sections. Ideally you'd have the refugium last before going up to the pump. Ie skimmer then refugium, then return pump. But it's not critical, and I don't have mine set up that way. It's just that the skimmer can possibly catch copepods instead of them being sent back to the tank.

 

[iplumbsome]

The only thing I can think of is that the first section on the right is for filter socks, or if you don't use them, to catch detritus so it doesn't end up in the refugium. I am a big fan of chaeto to maintain nutrients, and then I can feed the tank heavily. I would suggest using a filter pad across the left side of the refugium to keep chaeto from getting onto the other sections. Ideally you'd have the refugium last before going up to the pump. Ie skimmer then refugium, then return pump. But it's not critical, and I don't have mine set up that way. It's just that the skimmer can possibly catch copepods instead of them being sent back to the tank.

Not sure if you can tell but that baffle doesn't go all the way to the bottom. It is up about a half an inch.

 

[Dhoggs]

I cant tell from the photo which baffle are touching the bottom of sump. Im guessing...the second return drains to the far right chamber then fills the middle chamber and then spills to the far left chamber. The space between the baffles in the middle and left chambers is where you could put a sponge filter to block the floating chaeto going to the pump

 

[DLHDesign]

Looks like that first baffle is just to keep the fuge contents out of the return area. Perhaps to help prevent any bubbles from the return from getting into the fuge plants or something? Yeah; not quite sure... :-S

 

[[Cameron]]

Water is pumped into the right side of the fuge and exits to the left. The baffle separating the left and middle chambers allows water to flow both over and under. The entire sump is not a great design for a fuge but functional. You can get a garden hose and run water into the right chamber of the fuge to see how it works.

The water level in the right two sections of the fuge will be at the height of the middle baffle which appears to be the tallest baffle in the fuge. The water level in the far left chamber of the fuge will be at the lowest baffle height between the right chamber in the sump (where the return pump is) and the left chamber in the fuge. Those two sections will normalize each other since they are connected.

I would put one type of algae in the left section of the fuge and then chaeto in the middle. I would leave the right return chamber empty.

 

[iplumbsome]

Water is pumped into the right side of the fuge and exits to the left. The baffle separating the left and middle chambers allows water to flow both over and under. The entire sump is not a great design for a fuge but functional. You can get a garden hose and run water into the right chamber of the fuge to see how it works.

The water level in the right two sections of the fuge will be at the height of the middle baffle which appears to be the tallest baffle in the fuge. The water level in the far left chamber of the fuge will be at the lowest baffle height between the right chamber in the sump (where the return pump is) and the left chamber in the fuge. Those two sections will normalize each other since they are connected.

I would put one type of algae in the left section of the fuge and then chaeto in the middle. I would leave the right return chamber empty.

So the baffle on the right will be completely covered in water because as you stated the middle baffle is the tallest and goes all the way to the bottom.

 

[iplumbsome]

I cant tell from the photo which baffle are touching the bottom of sump. Im guessing...the second return drains to the far right chamber then fills the middle chamber and then spills to the far left chamber. The space between the baffles in the middle and left chambers is where you could put a sponge filter to block the floating chaeto going to the pump

The middle baffle which is also the tallest goes to the bottom.

 

[[Cameron]]

So the baffle on the right will be completely covered in water because as you stated the middle baffle is the tallest and goes all the way to the bottom.

Yes I believe this is correct. I would fill it outside using a garden hose just to be sure though.

To me this was a regular sump re-purposed as a refugium. It looks like it will work well enough though.

 

[iplumbsome]

Wanted to post a couple more pics to see if anyone has any other ideas that would make this refugium function better before I start plumbing my system this weekend. I am open to modifying this.