Remote SKimmer and refugium design, I need your input !

F

Flamenco-t

I have always wanted a larger refugium, IMO, you can't never have too big of a refugium for DSB and macro grow out as well as pods heaven.

I am limited to a 48" length tank with inside space of only 40" or so.

Since I am re-building my stand to be 40" tall, I had an idea of making a skimmer chamber separate than the refugium area and utilize the height inside the stand.

The basic:

Put the refugium (30 long tank, 36x12x12) on the bottom.

Built a bracket and place the skimmer section (10 gallon tank) on top of the right side of the refugium.

Water overflow from the tank into the skimmer area. From there, I will have a durso standpipe with ball valve to regulate the amount of water to dump into the refugium (to keep the water level in the skimmer section stable at 9-10")

I will also have the exhaust from the gate valve mod on my ASM to dump into the fuge as well.

Then from here, water flows from the fuge into the return pump then back into the tank.

This way I will have about 30" of refugium section, more time for overflow water to be skim before entering fuge and back to the tank.

Any flaws that I am not seeing ? anything that I can do different to make it more efficient ?

thanks

Stan
 
Got another idea...

I can also tee off the drain line from the overflow, I'll have one side going STRAIGHT into the skimmer body and the rest goes down straigth into the refugium .

Wadya thinnk ?

stan
 
If you take the second approach, sounds like you wouldn't even need the 10g tank.. just an externally plumbed skimmer.
 
sounds like it would work as long as you don't think it is an eye sore. Also watch out for noise and splash from the over flow into the 10. It doesn't seem to have any overflowing problems as long as you leave enough room in the sump. I had some crazy designs like that on my last tank. Like you, I love refugiums.
yuki
 
@Ashlar wrote:
If you take the second approach said:
The main reason why I have the skimmer in the 10 gallon tank is that I am so afraid of the skimmer acting up and start to skims very very wet, this had happen twice before and I am afraid that the water will overflow on the floor. At least the 10 gallon can contain and overflow to the fuge and being pump back to the display tank.

stan
Click to expand...
 
put a remote collection cup on the skimmer, a big one. what type of skimmer are you going to use. external skimmers seem so easy to clean
 
Stan,

I like the design and the safety features that are built in. About the only thing I would suggest you change is having the gate valve on the output going into the refuge itself. What I would do is have two dursos from the skimmer tank into the refuge and have the gate valve drain into the 10G itself. The reason for this is if the gate valve becomes clogged, with a snail or something, you have two outputs in the refuge which would handle the overflow action without any obstructions.
 
Dave

Thanks for the input.

I guess I can have the gate valve off of the skimmer to drain into the skimmer tank and built an overflow, drill the hole for the durso standpipe to drain into the refugium.

The question is, since I am also teeing off the drain line (some to feed the skimmer body and some to the refugium) do I really need 2 dursos ? I'd figured one will be enough.

Supposed the overflow drains about 600 gph (full capacity) I am propably only needing about 200 gph going into the skimmer while the other 400 gph to go straight into the refugium.

While we're on the subject, how much flow should I add into the skimmer without distrubing the recirculation effect inside the skimmer body ?

stan
 
@Flamenco-t wrote:
Dave Thanks for the input. I guess I can have the gate valve off of the skimmer to drain into the skimmer tank and built an overflow said:
Not sure... probably not but it will be a try it and see I think.. since you can't tell what the noise will be until its up. Probably better to go durso so you know it won't be a problem than change it around later.

I think on that last question I have no idea as I am unfamiliar with the ASM.
Click to expand...
 
okay,

Another revision :)

I posted this on RC, let me know what you think ?

I am trying to maximise a refugium area in my sump. I will have the overflow teed off to feed the skimmer directly, then the water will be re-circulated with the stock sedra needle wheel pump.

Can I put the skimmer on a stand that sits about 9" from the bottom of the sump, the sump will be more likely NOT submerge in water at all.

The gate valve mod will dump the exhaust into the fuge area below.

Will this work ? Sorta like the external skimmer BUT, sit directly on top of the sump and dump straight down to the fuge so in case of a leak, it will leak down to the fuge.

I was going to use a 10 gallon tank as a skimmer tank that overflows into the sump, but not being able to drill a 10 gallon tank to install a durso overflow and not wanting to depend on the external HOB overflow makes me want to do this.

This is the original design of the sump that i have, but rather than using 2 tanks, I can use the main sump and put the skimmer above the sump using a PVC made stand off or Acrylic piece to secure the skimmer.

130127sump.JPG
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Any suggestion or ideas ?

Stan

PS: it's similar to what Ashlar recommend as far as running them externally, but rather than having the skimmer next to the fuge, it will be on top of it and overflow to the fuge below it.

My only concerned is the water level, I guess I can assume that direct feed skimmer does not depends on water level where the skimmer sits at right ?

stan
 
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