Refugium plan. Please tell me your thoughts.

Here are my two ideas for my Refugium .

Not an option
Hang on back Fuge

Option 1

Main tank over flows to sump (20 gallon) from the sump i have my skimmer pump, return pump, and a small pump that pumps water into the Fuge (15 tall). The fuge will have a overflow that will feed back into the sump.

Option 2
Have a T off the main overflow with a small amount of water feeding the fuge the fuge will then overflow into the sump.

Better options are welcome

Thanks
Jacob

 

always cheaper to run one less pump (option 2) if you can set it up that way

 

option 2, less working parts and you can fine tune the flow in. You want to use raw water into your fuge.

 

I think I can I have no problem raising the fuge up a few inches to make it higher.

 

OPtion 2. Just put a ball valve after the "T" so you can control the flow through the fuge. Fuge needs less flow.

 

Is a 15 tall big enough for a fuge?

 

To be honest, neither, I would divide the 20 gallon into 3 compartments and lose the second tank all together.

 

Thats not really an option, the 20 is a custom sump. and not a normal sized 20...And why would this be better?

 

less complication and points of failure, especially in the event of a power outage where both the display tank and the fuge would be flowiing into the sump potentially causing a flood. if all else fails a 20L or 30 breeder tank are cheap at the LFS and cheaper on craigs list

 

I plan to have the fuge drain off the top into the sump so I would think that if I had a power outage very little would flow into the sump. correct me if i'm wrong as I really don't want a flood