Can I have 2 overflows and make one slower?

Ok, I am headed to work now. When I get back I will edit my sketch and as we/I think of other things to incorporate I will update it. See ya then.

 

Veedubshafer –

I have not read this entire thread, just skimmed it.

I drop my 180 two corner overflows to my basement into a 55 gallon, I installed a tee on one of my drains and directed it to my fuge (I used a ball valve to control flow). The water hits the 55 gallon on the right and this is where I skim. The fuge is gravity fed back to the sump and feed to the left – my DT return pump is located on the left.

This way, there is not pump for the fuge (no pending issues down the road). I have raw water hitting the fuge and the pods are free to return to the tank.

Hope this helps

Edit - BTW, the crazy guy (Tangster) that posted above.....he helped me set this up years ago -- and this is probably something close to what he said above that confused you a tad.

one more edit - I just looked at your picture above and I don’t like it. I thought oyu said you were looking at a separate refugium tank? If it needs to be in the 55 gallon than I will have further input – right now I do not care for your design – the refugium will get too much flow, the baffles should be moved from the right of the refugium to the left….probably more input – I’ll wait to read your response.

 

Also, if you go with that drawing – both drains should funnel to the right section, then a tee off of one to the fuge side…that would make more sense to me.

Dropping one overflow to the fuge and choking it back is a huge mistake with flood potential in your future. You will essentially be committing your 150 gallon to one overflow since the one will be cut WAY back to accommodate your fuge slow needs. If you get a few snail shells caught up in that main drain your overflow will fill and your second will not be able to take more flow – you will overflow your DT. And yes, it will happen eventually.

Edit - JonJonWells pictures above did not load for me earlier (work PC blocked them). that's the idea, what he has to feed the refugium is what you want, with a ball valve for flow control.

 

My sump is commercially bought, but has a refugium as the center of 3 sections. First section has overfow from the tank and out/in for the skimmer. The second section is refugium and the last section return to tank. The water flow through the refugium is baffled to be across the top but all the water flows through the refugium (about 2500 g/hr). The pods seem to have no trouble staying out of the laminar flow and have reproduced famously. The macro algae grows well. Just an idea to simplify things. I would definitely go with one return. Have FUN!!- Paul

 

Yes, I am opinionated…and admittedly not always right, but I mean well

You know, a refugium is a refuse, a swamp. A slow moving refuse for bugs and macro’s to grow and do their thing, untouched by people. I don’t go near my refugium, I can’t tell you much of what’s in it since I don’t bother with it other than to check my timer and lights from time to time. I just took this picture and I can see some cheato in there, that was a surprise to me, some slime algae etc. really difficult to see since I tend to it as I should – that is I don’t go near it.

I never understood those refugium/sump combo’s – I mean, why do they have to be set up to blast water through a supposed swamp? Nature teaches us and we try our best to follow suit. Waves crash on beaches, creates foam and thus skims the ocean, so we install protein skimmers. The ocean develops swamps and spawns macro algae’s in low current – so we install refugiums. But what nature doesn’t do is blast water through the florida everglades and call it an all-in-one. If this sort of set up works for someone, good for you and more power to you.

 

Actually, I think a refugium is a refuge more than a refuse. Good things always happen in marine environments when O2 levels are high. (flow is high). That's why I believe many commercial refugia are built with areas of high flow near an area where the copopods can rest. I have also had refugia with low flow and they seem to work just as well. Go figure.- Paul

 

lol – yes, pardon my typo please, refuge. I am not sure why you think fast current creates oxygen, actually I don’t think I am qualified to debate it either Oxygen enters water by two means, its diffused at the surface from the atmosphere and its created via photosynthesis (like my refugium). I personally do not see how high flow area’s do not flush copepods away – but I could be wrong. A Refuge is a safe haven – a slow moving swamp absent of predators is a refuge. A fast moving baffled commercially build all-in-one is not as much of a safe haven in my opinion.

 

Ok, thanks to everyones critique. And no i'm not being sarcastic LOL. Here is my latest sketch incorporating all of your input. I am sure there will be some other editing. You guys are the best and I am very grateful. Well here it is:

 

I think you are on to something here - I would suggest increasing the wall of the refugium so that it gravity drains into the mid section.

 

Ok, here it is with the higher wall and dropping the other side into the sump portion to help with bubbles(thanks to crimsons suggestion via PM)