My husband is a piece of work (long)

[BarbMazz]

Okay, so we picked up the tanks and stand/canopy today [:snshne: and of course I'm very VERY happy about that. Everything looks great!

We're sitting here talking with our electrician friend, and he mentions a guy he knows who has his tank on the main floor and his sump and all equipment in the basement below (sound familiar, Terry?). My husband's eyes literally LIGHT UP. He LOVES this equipment in the basement idea, instead of the setup I'd settled on, which was the sump/fuge tank under the stand along with all the gobbledegook that goes with it.

I never mentioned to him about plumbing to the basement because (no offense, Terry) I thought he would think I was nuts. I mean, he'll hafta DRILL through our brand new FLOOR.. I never thought he'd go for that... Well I was really wrong, so we are going to set up with an equipment room in the basement directly below the 65g display upstairs.

So, with that in mind, here's what I'm thinking:

1. getting a 50g long tank to set up as the sump only tank in the basement where the skimmer and all the assorted equipment; topoff, heater, etc will live. I will have to see if the ASM G2 will be big enough to skim the increased amount of water, and I have to see if the Mag-drive 9.5 is big enough to push water from the basement back upstairs. I'm thinking this will be a simple circle; water downflows to skimmer and sump, goes through baffles and is pumped back up to the tank. Does this make sense? If the equipment I've ordered from Jack isn't big enough to handle I will have to beg him to exchange for bigger skimmer and pump.

2. then, I'd like to use the 20g long I have as an under-display refugium. I would have to get an overflow box to plumb the fuge to the display. I think this could be a simple circle; overflow to fuge, then through some baffles to a small return area, then pump back up to the display. Would this work? Are there reasons to NOT connect the fuge directly with the display?

I would like to have this bigger refugium, and I'd like it to be with the display for some undefined reason. I've seen where people have "remote" refugiums, and sumps and refugiums each their own separate tank, so I'm hoping this sort of setup would work.

Please shoot me down or prop me up, as you each see fit!

 

[AQTCJAK]

barb you will need a bigger return pump what is the distande from the basement tank to the return on the tank?

 

[BarbMazz]

barb you will need a bigger return pump what is the distande from the basement tank to the return on the tank?

I know!!! I will have to get those measurements for you tomorrow. Can I exchange the pump you sent me for a bigger one? Also, will the ASM G2 skimmer be enough or do I need to upsize that as well?

 

[zy112]

Definetly going to need a bigger return. Sounds like a cool project though

 

[zy112]

How bg is the main tank?

 

[lcstorc]

Sounds like a great plan to me. You will definitely need a larger pump as Jack said but I think you will be very happy with the stability you will gain with the large sump and separate fuge.
The G2 should be fine but if you don't have it yet I would go bigger. IME there is little price difference so if you have the room then go big.

 

[BarbMazz]

Sounds like a great plan to me. You will definitely need a larger pump as Jack said but I think you will be very happy with the stability you will gain with the large sump and separate fuge.
The G2 should be fine but if you don't have it yet I would go bigger. IME there is little price difference so if you have the room then go big.

The skimmer will probably be here Monday.
If Jack will allow me, I'll go up to the G3.

So the separate fuge idea is okay? I'm so glad to hear that.. :snshne:

zy, the display tank is a measley 65g, but it will be GRAND

 

[PEMfish]

To simplify things, pump water back upstairs, into the fuge ( not DT ), then use the mag 9 to pump from the fuge to the DT.

 

[zy112]

Hey I actually just bout a 65 too and was getting ready to post a thread on its details. I just looked and i was surprises its only about 30 bucks to updgrade to the G3; thats worth the money

 

[PEMfish]

I like my idea:snshne:

lol

 

[BarbMazz]

To simplify things, pump water back upstairs, into the fuge ( not DT ), then use the mag 9 to pump from the fuge to the DT.

So I make sure I understand; you're suggesting I not have the extra overflow?

Like this: Water flows down to sump in basement, where it is skimmed and pumped up (with my new bigger pump via Jack) to the fuge upstairs, then pumped from the fuge up to the display?

Wouldn't I want unskimmed water going into the fuge? If not, tell me why not! I will be using my fuge mainly as a 'pod producer/food producer for my future clams, SPS, LPS, (hopefully) mandarin.

 

[prow]

good stuff bigger pump o yeah, pressure pump. bigger skimmer, o yeah, i know you will be adding volume, its to easy to add a frag tank later or increase refugium size. your going to need a bigger skimmer

so Jack, what say you

 

[BarbMazz]

good stuff bigger pump o yeah, pressure pump. bigger skimmer, o yeah, i know you will be adding volume, its to easy to add a frag tank later or increase refugium size. your going to need a bigger skimmer

so Jack, what say you

Yes OH MIGHTY JACK may I exchange the pump and skimmer for BIGGER and BETTER models?:bugout: :smck: :smoking:

 

[tbittner]

To simplify things, pump water back upstairs, into the fuge ( not DT ), then use the mag 9 to pump from the fuge to the DT.

I believe this will actually add problems that you don't want/need to deal with. When you have two pumps pumping water up like this, then they both need to be balanced PERFECTLY as far as throughput. It's impossible. Trust me!

You'll want to T the line going to the sump in the basement and use a ball valve to force the appropriate amount of water through your fuge. Then, like stated earlier, the pump in the fuge and the pump in the sump both pump back to the display tank.

What I would recommend though is to have the fuge in the basement too but sitting higher then the sump. T the water at that point and have some of the water flow through the fuge and let it drain into the return area of the sump. Then you only have one pump pumping water. Balancing this is REALLY easy with a ball valve on the return pipe.

Keep in mind that water falling for that distance is going to pick up some velocity. When it hits the sump it's going to create a lot of turbulance. Turbulance creates bubbles. Bubbles burst. Salt spray everywhere commences.

A way around this would be to T the pipe at the top of the fuge, put a ball valve below the T so you can slow the water down a bit and force some of it through the T into the fuge. Then at the bottom of the pipe going into the sump, put another T so the water hits the T, then bring two short pipes off of it to drain into the sump. It won't be perfect but it's better then just letting the water crash into the sump. Keep these pipes submersed in the water though.

 

[PEMfish]

Return the mag? what will you use for fuge return?

 

[tbittner]

On other thought though, I HIGHLY recommend using an external pump for pumping back up to the first floor. 16 feet of water, even in a 1" pipe, weighs a LOT and it's going to take a pretty powerful pump to push all that weight.

Based on my experience, using the big rubbermaid tubs, either a 50g or 100g, are so much easier to work with as far as putting bulkheads in AND they give you a lot more room for your skimmer AND they are REALLY inexpensive. I bought two 100g tubs for $74 each.

Just my thoughts based on the work that I've done on my system.

 

[tbittner]

Jeez, I go to Mr. Corals today and spend some fabulous time with my wife and friends, and I miss this whole development! I LOCE this stuff too!

 

[AQTCJAK]

I will do what I can first I need to see what I can do about a pump that will handle the head space plus the drainage could be a tricky deal but I am sure I can work something out

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Sounds like a fun project (of course as it is you and not me doing it)!

Why not have some of your tank water drain to your fuge and the rest drain to the sump, then have your fuge drain to the sump, then one pump to get it all back up? Maybe someone already suggested that and I missed it.

 

[BarbMazz]

Return the mag? what will you use for fuge return?

Yeah, good point! I'll keep the mag 9.5 and order a bigger pump for the basement to pump back up to the DT. DUH!