Help with Sump Plans

The attached photo shows a sketch of my sump plan. On the left is a 20 gallon standard, on the right is a 10 gallon. They will be connected by (2) 1-1/2" PVC pipes. Baffles will separate the intake, skimmer and return areas in the 20G. The intake are will be isolated from the skimmer and return areas to direct the water to the 10g Refugium. From there the water will flow back out of the 10g and into the skimmer area of the 20g. Then through the baffles, into the return area and out to the tank.

Heres a couple of problems that I am trying to work through. 1. Will the (1) 1-1/2" pipe be able to handle the intake flow. I could make it so some of the intake could flow into skimmer area to alleviate this. 2. Would a small powerhead be necessary in the 10 gallon to help with water circulation.

Please feel free to provide any thoughts, ideas, wisdom.

 

You won't need a power head.


The size should work for you... but you should try and rethink your flow. You can split off some of your flow to your fuge... dump it in the fuge and have control of how much you put through it.... then you won't need to baffle the drain from the skimmer... just use the 1.5" overflow.

The best flow is the fuge and skimmer to be seperate and flow independent to the return pump... fuge gets fed with raw water from tank as well as skimmer, and skimmer does not skim out pods and eggs from the fuge.

 

nice diagram

 

^^ This