Asking advice on Sump design and Overflow

[strout]

I have two questions. Seems to me like the sump in the drawing needs to be turned around where the drain from the DT would drain straight into the sump area where the skimmer sits in instead of into the refugium area. I would think that running the drain line all the way across the lenght of the sump to get to the skimmer area would make for an extra noise level. The amount of water going into the refugium area I am guessing is alot less than the amount going into the skimmerarea so you would have less water running noise, running thru the pipe all the way across the sump into the refugium area. LOL, I know what I mean, just don't know if I said this right. Another question, no matter which side the skimmer sits on, wouldn't it be better to have the water drain out of the DT and go thru a set of baffles before it gets into the skimmer area, or does it matter? My next question, is your refugium in the pic, sitting on a box of some sort, if so I don't understand this, why not make the whole space a refugium area? Next question, lol sorry, trying to learn something here. In your middle chamber where your return pump sits, the line feeding back to your DT, why is this split to allow water back into your skimmer area? My last question: I think I read above that someone posted that you don't have to run the line from your refugium thru the baffles as shown in the pic, but what would be wrong with running it into your skimmer section? I am done, lol.

 

[epond83]

Strout have you read through the whole thread, i believe most of your questions have been answered.

Having the skimmer line be shorter could cut down on noise.

A rubble tower or just little bubble tower discused earlier before the skimmer could help with splashing if it is occuring but bubbles are not a problem since the skimmer makes a lot of them.

I believe he is using a smaller fish tank for the skimmer, by elvating it the whole think can be filled and flow into the main sump.

The split on the return line aloows you to cut back on the amount of water going to the Display tank without restricking the pump.

As long and the flow from the refugium does not creat too many bubbles, which it shouldn't since the flow is slow and nothing is creating bubbles, then yes it can go straight to the return.

If you have a deep sand bed in the refugium and it then runs to the skimmer, the skimmer could skim out any pods reproducing instead of going to the DT to be food.

*again this is all just from all the research i've done, i have not actually set up a sw tank, i palnt to do so shortly after i graduate college (This coimming May!!!)

 

[epond83]

Something else to remember is that when the pump in turned off and water flows into the sump it will also come back through the return line, so it needs to suck air either by having it near the surface or a small hole drilled into it near the surface.

 

[ryanm19]

The smaller tank is on a box/stand because it will need gravity to help it go through the overflow and into the main sump. It needs to be higher so it can flow into the 20 gallon. And epond, I'm not planning on having my skimmer in the smaller tank because it won't fit. But having the baffles should keep the water in the 20 gallon constant in the skimmer section.

 

[strout]

I didn't read the whole post, I was on my way out the door for work and was looking at the last drawing of the sump. Let me ask you this epond83, there is something I don't understand: when you say, The split on the return line allows you to cut back on the amount of water going to the DT without restricking the pump. Why would you want to cut back on the amount of water going back to the DT? The way I thought it worked was you buy the size pump you want, that pumps how ever many gallons per hour that you want back into your DT and you ajust your overflow ball valve drain from your DT to let enough water into your sump to keep the return area with enough water for the return pump. As I am going to get a new sump for my new tank, I want to have this figured out, lol. The only reason I can see for restricting the flow would be if you had to big of a return pump.