Seperate refugium and wet/dry filter

If I have a separate 20 gallon wet/dry filter and also a 10 gallon refugium, what is the best way to plumb them together? The tank I may be purchasing has two overflows and returns. Should I run one overflow to the wet/dry put a skimmer in there and use one of the returns then the other overflow to the refugium and the other return from there? OR both overflows to the wet/dry and link the wet/dry and refugium with a cross over? OR both overflows to the refugium and link the wet/dry and refugium with a cross over? Hope my questions make sense and thanks for the help.

 

you could raise the20/wet dry filter higher than the fuge, make the ten gallon lower, then drill or DIY overflow the water from the wet dry into the fuge and using a baffle plum you return in the fuge.

or you could buy two seprate return pumps and just run one line from the overflow to each.

 

Thanks!

 

Bulkheads

I have used wet/dry and refugium hooking them together using two bulkheads for water balance. I would use two not one and it will work great just install below water line and will handle pretty much any flow your filters can.

 

So the t125 has two overflows, so I'm thinking I could run the wet/dry with the bio balls from one and use the smaller proflex sump with the built in refugium that's on my 55 on the other overflow. Would that work? I'm thinking that's the best way to because the refugium in that is loaded with pods and has macro for filtration and the wet/dry I can put carbon and other stuff in. I would put the skimmer in the wet/dry which would also be better for the refugium. Am I thinking wrong or should this work?

 

Two bulkheads

If you install (2) 1" bulkheads between your two filters with sumps facing each other. The water will stay in easy balance between the two so you could use eather area to put return pump. Install bulkheads as close to the bottom of filters as you easly can for good seal. This will also give you room to keep lower water level in case of power outage if needed. Get threaded x thread bulkheads on ebay very cheep (4) 1" barbs for between filters and then install vinyl tubing and you have it.

 

So do you mean connect them together, facing the return sections together and connect one sump to one overflow and the other one to the other overflow and put the return pump in either one of the return sections? That would have to be what you mean I think. Thanks for helping me and sorry for all the questions.

 

No worries

I would dump overflows one over bio balls and one over refugium makeing the whole 10 gallons a refugium/sump. By using two bulkheads hooking both filters togther at return ends. Raise bulkheads above sand/mud line in your refugium and let water balance out between them. How ever deep you keep your refugium is how deep water will be on bio ball filter side also if you want to lower sump depth install a baffle with bubble trap 1/3 of refugium tank size this would give you 2/3rds refugium and 1/3 refugium sump which will balance out with other filter sump. You do not even need to use a 10 gallon tank if you didn't want to any strong plastic storage container will work.
Just think of it this way- 2 boxes the same size hooked together with bulkheads will have the same level of water in each, what ever you do to one side will happen in the other up or down
DIYs are great learning tools! No worries on the questions hope this helps!

 

Thanks for all the help 414