Hello, Already need help

looks to me, on the right side, there is an overflow from the refugium to the sump.

that is, it looks to me like water enters the refugium run from the top and overflows into the sump. i bet there was a branch off the main return from the sump (on the left) that branched off into the refugium run on the top left and then it overflowed on the top right back into the sump.

 

More picture for u guys. What would be your suggestion about a perfect sump with a refugium?

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I was starting to understand now it seems like im lost in how to set up. I have plenty of time because i am building a stand and staining it first before i start anything. wow I am so confuse. Any site to recommend so I could understand the set up. Thanks guys!

 

Its a refugium the skimmer goes in the main sump . The refugium needs about 3 to 4" deep fine sand and slow water flows in and out and light to keep the alga's you grown in there alive like wet house plants ,

From the looks of it it was way over designed I myself would pull the PVC pipe out toss them and run the water from you tank into that section and then feed the refugium off of one of one of the drains or drain to the fuge with a tee and valve there is a low slot notch cut into the fuge for water to exit the fuge at the far end . , Set the skimmer into the second square box area and then either run a submersible pump or drill the sump for an externial pump I would drill the fudge myself .And add a bulkhead and the external pump . Looks like the Mel vs reef guy made this one LIL or what ever their name is . Rube Goldberg comes to my mind.. With a good pump you can run everything you will need later on i.e reactors skimmer feed chillers and such

 

Not sure if I fully get it but it's more clear. Thanks

 

You have those pipes in there I assume they are for the drain lines from tank to sump ? Not sure why they would be needed really . How many overflows is there from your tank or one or two ? I would remove the pipes and run my line from tank to the sump But one one line if you have 2 drains from tank add a 1' tee below the tee and the valve below the tee is to force water over to the fuge then assuming you use a 1" tee on the tee outlet make that fuge feed 1/2 and then add a 1/2 valve to control water flow to the fuge .

I'd Set the skimmer into the second chamber and that would leave you the totally open last chamber for a pump be it a submersible like a Mag supreme or a Iwakie mounted outside the sump The Mags can also be set outside the sump .. what size is this tank ? I don't recall seeing it But thats not saying much LOL I don't recall a hr ago sometimes..
O.K its a 120 is it s dual or single overflow or drain tank to sump ?

 

It's a single overflow box it's not drill because it's tempered glass

 

id go with tangsters idea. pull the PVC out, plumb the overflow to drain into the fuge in the back on the far left side and allow it to overflow to the right chamber where you will then have the rest of the drainage from the display tank flowing. then the water will move from right to left in those 3 main chambers. the second chamber being the skim chamber.

with the way the baffling is setup you may have microbubbles going into the return section so you may want to consider tangsters idea of drilling this thing and putting the return pump outside and plumbed in.

 

actually i just noticed something else. on the picture that shows the sump from the front side, there is what appears to be a 1/4" fitting in the middle section going to the back chamber.... so now im confused too

 

I am back, I have been looking and thinking and learning but still have questions.

Can the protein skimmer be outside the sump?

The water coming fron the tank does it goes through the protein skimmer than the microballs than the fuge or can I tee it before the skimmer so 75 % would go to the skimmer and 25 % go to the fuge and than to the return pump. is that crazy?