Fuge/Sump/Plumbing idea, help

[Reef Guy]

Right now I have a 30 gal reg running as my sump but that hasnt been running as well as I thought. So now im thinking of redoing my entire sump and plumbing. Right now my main problem is too much flow from the drain, this creates all my micro bubbles that my baffles cannot keep up with, it also destroys my refugium which is in the center and the drain is last. So I have a new idea, which i think will solve everything. Since my drains are duels from the tank, why split them up. Have them drain on the skimmer/sump side and the other on the refugium side. This should eliminate a alot of my micro bubbles I have been getting and....i hope it wouldnt be too much flow for my fuge. Right now the sump I am currently running is drilled. Its a 2 inch bulkhead that converts into 3/4 to the mag. Now my question is does anyone think this will be too much flow for the fuge? Will I loose any flow if I put the mag INTO the sump rather than have it plumbed out? Will i get more flow if I have a 3/4 or a 1 inch blukhead rather than a 2 inch? IS there a way I can make more flow go to the sump rather than the ruge part? Keep in mind I am running a 75 gal tank with 2 inch pvc drains. My pump is a mag 18, the return is 1.25'' pvc

 

[jackson6745]

Depending on what your current sump looks like, I would try using a foam block between one of your baffles. That solved my micro bubble problem.

 

[alrha]

if you have your sump drain lower in the overflow box than the fuge drain, it will end up handling a higher porportion of the flow.

 

[alrha]

or try stuffing the baffles with live rock rubble (rather than foam).

 

[Reef Guy]

i dont have an overflow box

 

[House of Laughter]

drain into the refuge = bad idea.

You can do what I do - get a long breeder hang on box and latch it onto one of your baffles as your fuge. I have a 92 and that seems to work enough for me. Good pods, growth (I sell on RC a few times a year)

House

 

[Reef Guy]

Do you have any pics?

 

[Reef Guy]

hmm that got me thinking... I CAN USE A RIO! to pump water from the sump to the fuge at 200 GPH! or even better one of my mini jets @ 15 gph!

 

[alrha]

personally, my sump is my fuge, and i've got tons of critters, so i dont think its really a big problem. i have my drain on one end and return on the other end. but i keep the flow slow.

 

[Reef Guy]

hmm that has be thinking....is it really better to have so much flow....or would it be better if I replaced that mag 18 with a mag 9 and places a tunze in the tank?

 

[alrha]

i have my flow dialed down by a valve (alows me to increase it if i wanted to) and Tunze Streams in the display for current.
low flow also allows for stuff floating in the water to settle in the sump.