Refugium fed by canister?

[Moloch]

Had an idea tonight while trying to figure out how I'm going to go about building a refugium for my 90gal out of a 20h. I want to maximize the useable area in the fuge, minimize the cost & effort of the build, and keep it absolutely silent.

Here's what I'm thinking...only divide the tank into two sections, one for the fuge & one for the return pump. In the fuge section, mount the spray bar off one of my xp3's. The filter would be siphoning from the display tank and pumping filtered water into the fuge, the return pump would then be pumping the filtered water back into the DT through a DIY spray bar.

I THINK this seems like a pretty solid idea. The flow rate of the return pump is much higher than the canister, so I shouldn't have a problem with getting the flow rate balanced. I don't know what would happen in the event of a power outage. With the canister return being lower than its intake, I would need to see if the siphon will continue pumping water out of the DT until it's dry.

If thats the case, then I would have two options that I can see off the top of my head. #1: Get a battery backup, this would be pretty simple, but it only helps if I get back to the tank in time to shut it off. #2: Add some plumbing to the canisters intake & install a solenoid that controls a valve...if no power runs through the solenoid, the valve closes. I don't know how much this would cost or how feasible it is, but would 100% eliminate the chance of a flood due to power outage. It would also allow the system to get itself going again when the power were cut back on.


What do you think? I think its pretty solid as long as the canister will work in this configuration.

Edit: The thing I have NO idea about it setting the water level between the two sections. I'm hoping that with the two baffles I could fill the tank from the left side until the water is where I want it on the right side, but I have a feeling it just won't work like that. Although, if I don't have to worry about power outages causing an overflow, then I could just install a single baffle & fill the entire tank to a desirable level.

edit: Just realized that for all that trouble, I could just as easily feed the thing with a powerhead out of my display tank, duh. Either way I think this will work...

 

[Moloch]

Well the guys over at plantedtank answered and said I'd never get two pumps configured to match the flow rate. Makes sense i guess. Back to the drawing board again:/

 

[HackJob]

could work with additional over flow siphon. However seems risky, if the sump failed water keeps going into the refuge tank by way of the canister. Best to keep it gravity fed only.

 

[Moloch]

Yeah I thought this up at 2am...a more functioning afternoon mind is calling 2am self an idiot. Too many variables, not enough safeties and way too much room for catastrophic failure.

I think I'm just going to put the sump/fuge on the backburner and build my canopy instead :/

 

[Arthur]

I did that to some extent before, only I had the fuge tank a few inches above my main tank. I had the return of the canister into a drilled 10 gallon that drained into my tank, and then the drain for the canister was in the main tank

 

[Moloch]

Yeah someone on plantedtank mentioned doing something that. Its a really cool idea. Of course it led to thoughts of having a HUGE fish wall...two 125-220g display tanks with a 40b or 55g centered between them at a higher level...monsters or whatever in the displays and a nice planted display of livebearers in the center.......lets not go there

I've completely changed directions and now I'm just working on closed loop pump with a section of filter floss on the intake.

--intake from tank-----|container with floss|---pump-----output back to tank---

It would all be hardplumbed, the container will have a sealing lid that I can just pop open to access the floss, and the output in the tank will have some sort of quick disconnect to make attaching a hose for siphoning easy. This way I can use it whenever I want as a vacuum AND I can leave it running as a water polisher I think its a more solid idea and will turn out better in the end.