Sump refugium done right.

[HuduVudu]

Over the years I have longed for a refugium. I have avoided them though because the asthetic of a HOB on my aquarium turned me off. The dragonette gobies are interesting and fun and I have no problem growing the food that they need but they very quickly destroy the populations and then promptly starve. I have left creatures that need live food to more advanced hobbyist than I. Many people have debated with me on their sump being quite adequate for a refugium and I have always pointed out that the delicate creatures that are being cultivated are being sent through the whirling vortex of the return pump. Much as been said about the safety of this but I am unable to believe that this is adequate for a proper refugium.

All of this aside I have come up with a way to return the delicate creatures back to the aquarium without having to face the impeller. Perhaps someone has already thought of this and this will make me dumb (I'm used to it because I am), but I will put it out there anyway. What if you were to add a venturi at the output of your return pump and instead of pulling air you pulled water from your refugium. I would think that this would be a much gentler way of getting the creatures (including plankton/zooplankton) that we desire back into our main systems.

Food for thought

 

[Auquanut]

I can't think of any reason that it wouldn't work. Although most of the water/pods would still be going through the impeller. And of course you'd have to improvise some method of keeping the macro out of the venturi intake. Seems like it might also reduce the output pressure of the return.