External refugium

[seeky007]

Hi all
Thinking about having a 20-30g external refugium as a display tank rather than hiding it away I wanted to put it on the opposite side of the room from the main tank I would have to run the water lines up across the ceiling and down to the refugium what size pump would be ok for this as I think it would have to have a good staic head pressure if my thinking is right.

 

[TX_REEF]

depends how high up you're needing the water to go. As long as the pump you select can handle the necessary head pressure, it should work just fine. How are you intending to return the water from the refugium to the main tank?

 

[Cthulukelele]

This is exactly how I did my refugium. Works great. I have a little makeshift skimmer out of pvc pipe I cut teeth in to gravity feed back int the last compartment of the sump

 

[seeky007]

depends how high up you're needing the water to go. As long as the pump you select can handle the necessary head pressure, it should work just fine. How are you intending to return the water from the refugium to the main tank?

Thanks for the reply
For the return back to the main tank couldn't I use another pump and try to match the flow with first pump.

 

[TX_REEF]

Thanks for the reply
For the return back to the main tank couldn't I use another pump and try to match the flow with first pump.

Generally speaking that’s a recipe for disaster - you might get them to March temporarily but eventually one of the tanks will overflow as the pumps fall out of sync due to interference as they become dirty or other factors. You want pump and drain, not two pumps relying on each other.

 

[seeky007]

Generally speaking that’s a recipe for disaster - you might get them to March temporarily but eventually one of the tanks will overflow as the pumps fall out of sync due to interference as they become dirty or other factors. You want pump and drain, not two pumps relying on each other.

I don't think Im going to be able to do it then as the return/ drain would have to follow the line from the main tank with the pump up and across the ceiling.the drain line wouldn't have enough pressure to get back to the main tank