Plumbing design for new Reef Tank

[eyegoggler]

I am in the process of building a new in-wall set up for a reef tank using an existing system and a few add-ons. The tank is an oceanic 75g RR. I'm converting a 13 gallon sump into a refugium and replacing it with a 44g Rubbermaid Brute trashcan (for addiditional water volume as it will be behind the wall). I am trying to move up to SPS tank. Lighting will be 2x175W 10k MH on the main tank, no lights on the Rubbermaid and 2x40W actenic fluorescents on the fuge. I would appreciate help with the following:

1. General comments/suggestions?

2. Is a 7" DSB in the Rubbermaid overkill?

3. Has anyone put a bulkhead on a round Brute wall? Will this work?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Leopardshark]

Nice design, but I wouldn´t add a DSB in a sump, because a sump is intended for equipment, I would better place the 7" DSB in the fuge.
And I didn´t get the idea of placing the green line from the tank to the sump. I think it is useless if you have already a overflow.
JMHO
Marco

 

[Anonymous]

skip the rio's!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[beerbaron]

And I didn´t get the idea of placing the green line from the tank to the sump. I think it is useless if you have already a overflow.

that green line is flow returnig from the sump into the tank, so the full amount of water returning from the sump isnt going to the refugium.

looks good to me, two comments though. why two seperate return pumps? this limits you to exact amounts of flow. i would opt to use one pump split into two lines, this way you can vary the flows to each. also, why a trashcan and not a regular storage container? you will have more room for equipment etc. if you still do the trash can route, you may have to build a frame around it to flatten one side to get a good seal on the bulkhead.
HTH
BB

 

[Entacmaea]

Hey there, I had a similar set-up on a tank a while ago, with an acrylic fuge draining via gravity into the main tank. I had an extra "emergency overflow" bullkhead on the fuge above the main line going back to the display tank- this saved me a few times when macro algae clogged the main line. Might be a good idea to add one. . .

HTH, Peter

 

[Kendall]

I don't think that maxi-jet will pump to that height. I agree with beerbaron, and would use a single larger pump as a return to both the tank and refugium.

 

[Leopardshark]

that green line is flow returnig from the sump into the tank, so the full amount of water returning from the sump isnt going to the refugium.

OHHH, silly me 8O 8O , I didn´t see that it was a RIO in there, I thought that was a bulkhead.
By my comment you can tell that I thought it the wrong way, thanks for giving me the correct idea :?

 

[eyegoggler]

Thanks all for the feedback - the power of a community of experts.

Nice design, but I wouldn´t add a DSB in a sump, because a sump is intended for equipment,
JMHO
Marco

Yea, I'm guessing I should skip it. I'm just a tiny bit councerned that the 18"x12"x7"high DSB in the fuge is not enough since I've only got 1" in the main. I don't plan on a large bio load though - mainly corals - so the LR + DSB in the Fuge should suffice.

I had an extra "emergency overflow" bullkhead on the fuge above the main line going back to the display tank- this saved me a few times when macro algae clogged the main line. HTH, Peter

Thanks, I'll add that.

I don't think that maxi-jet will pump to that height. I agree with beerbaron, and would use a single larger pump as a return to both the tank and refugium.

Thanks. Could be my lack of fuge experience, but I have used the maxijet to pump new saltwater into the main during water changes and know it will get the water up there (~4' ) but it is a fairly low flow rate (~100 gph guessing) which I thought was the general idea of a fuge. Please let me know if I should be targeting a much higher flow rate through the fuge.

Again thanks to all for taking time to help me avoid major problems down the road.