fuge questions

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by panbac2, Mar 9, 2011.

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  1. panbac2

    panbac2 Astrea Snail

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    well I decided to add a fuge to my tank. I had a extra 10 gallon tank and it fit in my stand. so question #1 I bought 2 pumps (one going in/one going out) they don't seem to be doing the same gallons per hour and it either puts in too much water or it runs dry. what can I do to fix this? also it has 3/8" flex tubing. question #2 what type of light should I add to the fuge? Ive got 9" clearance between the top of the fuge tank to the stank.
     
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
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  2. skurious

    skurious Sailfin Tang

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    you only need one pump. this will be used for returning the water from the fuge to the display. you would need an overflow box to get water from the display to the fuge. they would stay synched because the overflow will match the pump as long as the pump isnt too big.
     
    skurious, Mar 9, 2011
    skurious, Mar 9, 2011
    #2
  3. skurious

    skurious Sailfin Tang

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    matching two pumps will be near impossible. they all have there slight differences, even in the same model. your system is bound to flood that way.
     
    skurious, Mar 9, 2011
    skurious, Mar 9, 2011
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  4. panbac2

    panbac2 Astrea Snail

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    to clarify, the fuge is being pumped into the sump
     
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
    #4
  5. panbac2

    panbac2 Astrea Snail

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    so ok I took your advice and went will one pump...so this is how its working currently, I have the pump in the fuge and it is pumping water out of the fuge on the other side i have 3/8" flex tube that is working as a siphon...ive been measuring the water level in the fuge and it seems to be holding strong...do you think this will work? also there is 5" seperating the fuge with the sump.
     
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
    panbac2, Mar 9, 2011
    #5
  6. knightryda510

    knightryda510 Plankton

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    i think the problem with that is when your power goes out your sump or display tank could overflow. i just built my 10 gallon sump and used an eshopps overflow to get water from the display tank to the sump and use a pump to return back.
     
    knightryda510, Mar 10, 2011
    knightryda510, Mar 10, 2011
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  7. Sacul1573

    Sacul1573 Millepora

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    So you have a sump under your tank, and a fuge next to that? If my assumption is correct, try this:

    Elevate your fuge a few inches so the top of the fuge is higher than the top of the sump. Drill a hole for a bulkhead near the top of the fuge for your flow back into the sump, and then connect plumbing from the bulkhead back to the sump. Then simply run a tube from a pump in the sump to the fuge, and make sure the bulkhead drain can keep up with the pump. Keep in mind the diameter of the bulkhead should be quite a bit larger than the pump's from the sump.

    To summarize, pump water from sump to fuge, and elevate the fuge so gravity will pull the water back in to the sump.

    Dont try to match pumps, or keep a syphon. Either way, your floors will eventually get very wet. On the flip side, gravity never turns off. ;D
     
    Sacul1573, Mar 10, 2011
    Sacul1573, Mar 10, 2011
    #7