[randymon]

I know that most large reef tanks incorporate a sump, but because of weight issues & flood potential I would like to do this a tad different. Please let me know if this will work. I have a new 125 gal tht I will be putting in wall and it will be on the 2nd floor w/ a daylight basement. The tank isnt pre drilled and I dont want to drill so Ive come up with an alternative... I hope. To hide pumps & other equipment I will be getting a couple slotted internal overflows and will be putting the pumps from 1. the skimmer & 2. the pump to the above tank refugium behind them. This should also keep the surface water clear. The refugium will then be drilled high to prevent it from over flooding the main tank in case of power outages. In essence this is kind of like having a sump but seems a lot easier than all of the sump plumbing. Let me know what you think, pros, cons etc. The tank will house rock, softys, zoos, some lps and fish. Still not sure which hob skimmer to get. Turboflotor, aqua c pro w/ mag 3, or the new super skimmer from coralfe.

[Poseidon]

K I'm lost. i don't follow what the pumps are doing behind the overflows. The overflows themselves are rather large and I think will detract from the looks of the tank as much if not more then the looks of the pumps themselves.

If set up properly, a sump will not increase or decrease your chances of flooding anyway. I have tested mine with several simulations and have yet to spill a drop! The biggest thing is to make sure the sump can hold enough tank water to the point where the overflow or return line can no longer siphon anymore water from the tank. The second largest point is to make sure the TANK can hold the volume of water in the last chamber of the sump to the point where the return pump can no longer pump water into the tank. That way NO FLOODS!

Sounds like you are adding complications to me rather then simplifying the process.

[randymon]

The pumps would be pumping water to the skimmer and to the refugium. The overflows would help by taking the water from the top of the tank helping with film. I just like the idea of a gravity fed fuge better and figured this would work in place of a sump underneath. In essence it is the same theory as a sump only reverse. (Pump up and gravity feed back )

[Reefland]

You can pump up but I don't think you can use an external overflow and place a pump in the pack of it to pump up to the refugium, you'll just have to place the pump directly into the tank.

[Poseidon]

Ok I see what you are saying, I don't see a reason why it would not work, just as long as you take the same precautions I described above, otherwise your fuge can siphon out and overfill the tank!