refugium plumbing ?

[FishKid]

what will i need for a 10 gal refugium on my 30 gal?

what would be the best return pump?

how do i prevent the water from overflowing the refugium in case of a black out?

could i modify my skimmer so that the outlet goes down to the refugium instead of buying an overflow box,which i havent heard good things about...?


can anyone provide me with a diagram(s)?

TIA

mark

[golfish]

could i modify my skimmer so that the outlet goes down to the refugium instead of buying an overflow box,which i havent heard good things about...?

Hmmmm, Tell me the bad things you have read about overflow's....................

[FishKid]

i dont remember what i read that was bad, but i do remember that im gonna have to take the canopy off (3 man job, 1 to lift, 1 to pull, the other to painstakenly get the plug for the ph through the hole i made for it (which at the time was big enough, i forgot that heat expands wood) to cut another hole for the overflowbox *lazy*

if i get one rated for 300 gph, then the return pump should be 30 gph right (i know stupid ?)

mark

[organicreefer]

fishkid,any chance of posting pics of youre setup....might help for suggestions...
anyway,do you have a sump?it doesnt sound like it,if you dont already have a sump,it might be easier to place the ref. above youre tank......drill the ten gallon and have a small powerhead in the main tank feed it,it overflows to youre tank,this is the optimum configuration anyway if the refugium is mainly to supply food to youre mandarin.
i drilled my refugium /top off tank myself with the ten dollar bit from HD,im sure you can do it youreself too,its WAY easier than you think ,trust me!
just throwing some ideas at you

[organicreefer]

oh yeah what youve read about HO overflows is that they do sometimes lose syphon when the pumps go off,but from what i hear there are some very reliable ones out now ,like lifereef,i think???

[FishKid]

org.
thats a good idea. that would keep the cost to a min. how would you suggest elevating the ref. above the tank? and how much higher should it be? you want a pic of the back of the setup? it would be hard but i can get one...

mark

[organicreefer]

you could put in on a shelfright above the tank,or on a dresser/cabinet beside the tank .as for how much higher,just enought so it can overflow into the display i guess.if you drilled it on the side/back it could be just a little bit higher if you drilled the bottom that would require it to be that much higher,every situation is uniqe;)
time for you to brainstorm,work with what you have ,see what you can come up with as far as a place to put the tank,and figure out youre plumbing from there..............

[FishKid]

i have a dresser i can put it on, but its 2 1/2 feet higher than the water level... so knock that one... maybe i can build a highstand?

how many gph would you say that ph would have to be if there was 1 1/2 feet of tube to the ref.?

mark

[organicreefer]

there is nothing wrong with it being 2-1/2 feet higher ...as far as how powerful a pump...not very ,a little 3-400 gph powerhead is probly plenty,even with three feet of head.