How does this look?

I'd use a different pump for a return pump either a mag drive 5 or 7 or a rio 2100 or 2500, probably would suffice. The maxi jet probably can't handle any height over 3 feet and then going through your chiller.

 

Thanks guys. I wanted to keep my flow in the fuge down to about 10-15x per hour or so. That's why I was thinking I would use the MJ1200. I actually have a backup RIO2100 sitting in my cabinet, I was afraid it would push too hard though. I looked up the specs and pushing 4 feet, it will be at 375GPH, so that should be fine even without a valve to slow things down.

 

I'd still do a valve either way, it's nice to be able to shut down flow when doing water changes, ect

 

I usually turn my tank off completely when I do a WC. The check valve will keep the siphon from flowing back into the fuge. It only takes me 2 mins to do a 25% WC now.
I think I forgot to add that in my drawing, but I do use checks on my return lines. Thanks!

 

I finally finished my fuge. It's slightly different in design, but it gives me a little more fuge area for my macros. The first panels I put in were messy, then my last baffle was a clean job. Word of advice, 1/4" thick glass is a royal PITA to cut. For a small fuge, less than 30G, use 1/8" thick baffles. I used the VHS tapes to keep the distance equal and constant when the silicone was curing. By Wednesday, it should be cured and ready for a freshwater leak test.

 

looks good Mike, where did you get the glass from?

 

Thanks, I got it from a local glass dealer. I still have quite a bit left over. I think I have enough to make another fuge from a 10G tank actually. I bought a 36"x36" sheet of 1/8" thick untempered glass for $35. The right side of the fuge looks kind of ugly and I am questioning if I need one of the pieces of glass I glued in place. I added it to raise the water level before entering the fuge area, probably not needed.

 

Came out great. I hope that the plexi-glass holds up with the glass. The combination of the two sometimes doesnt work out. Luna

 

Thanks Luna! It's actually a 10G Top-Fin glass aquarium and plain non-tempered glass dividers that I cut myself with a glass cutter and T-edge. I made sure I kept everything constant, those glass baffles are stuck STRONG. I have seen an acrylic fuge that used glass baffles completely cave in on itself. The guy tried to blame my LFS, even though it was the customer that modified the sump into a fuge on his own.
I tried to gently pull off that one piece I'm not happy with and the sucker wouldn't budge at all. I'll have to cut it off with a razor blade if I decide to remove it. I had a small internal leak on the baffle on the fuge side which I had to re-silicone. I'll have to re-test it tonight. I hope to have it put into my system by the end of the weekend. I'll probably not use my CD since I'm assuming the chaeto I'll be adding will consume my nitrates. My NO3 level is 10-20ppm right now.

 

I've seen ppl try to glue plexi-glass baffles to a all glass tank and it doesnt work out. I'm not sure if they used the right glue or not, but it didnt work out. I like to stick with the same materials, glass with glass and plexi with plexi. Great job buddy. Luna