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Water flow


Mouse

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Hi,

I have a question about how water should flow through this system.

I will have a sump (return pump in center and refugium and skimmer on opposite sides of the sump). I would also like to add a calcium reactor but i am unsure of where this will fit in the system. Approximately what % of water should flow to the refugium and what % should flow to the skimmer.

Also I am thinking about putting in a horizontal overflow. How many inches from the top of the tank should the top of the overflow box be?

Thanks,

Aaron

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This is just my opinion.... If your sump isn't already built I would change the plans. My sump is built the same way as you describe and the way that both spill into the return creates alot of microbubbles, I would have the overflow, fuge, then return. Make sure you have plenty of room for your skimmer in your overflow. I am not trying to knock your idea but that is the problem im facing right now with that same design. Good luck

Jason

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My sump is built the same way as you describe and the way that both spill into the return creates alot of microbubbles,

This is the same problem I'm having.

It's not bubbles getting through the bubble trap. It's bubbles created by the water falling into the return...

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can you raise the water level in the sump?

I raised mine once...I'm thinking about raising it again.

The "fall" from the bubble trap to the return on mine is about 2". The fall from the refuguim to the return is about 4". The flow from the refugium is lower, though, so I don't seem to get much in the way of bubbles from there.

I'm also wondering if I should remove the filter sponge on the input to the return pump...it seems to catch the bubbles and then blast them through when enough combine.

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This is the same problem I'm having.

It's not bubbles getting through the bubble trap. It's bubbles created by the water falling into the return...

Exactly! I have another sump on my 40 gal and it runs as smooth as can be with NO bubbles, and it has the overflow to the refugium to the return.

I will never have that design in a sump again. I'm glad someone can see eye to eye with me on this lol

Edited by JAY-ROC
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Exactly! I have another sump on my 40 gal and it runs as smooth as can be with NO bubbles. I will never have that design in a sump again. I'm glad someone can see eye to eye with me on this lol

I'm having the same issue, but I don't think we're seeing eye to eye. :)

I also don't see why overflow, refuguim then return would be better. The way I see it, it would actually be worse.

Having everything running through the overflow, then the fuge, then to the return would actually mean you have the full volume of water running over one baffle. This seems to me that it would lead to more bubbles in the return.

By splitting it you are running over two baffles which should mean a lower volume of water running over each.

For me I simply think it's a matter of how far I'm letting the volume of water that's coming out of the bubble trap drop. I think I need to raise the level in my return another inch or so.

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I have built quite a few sumps. So far, the best that i have used go overflow, fuge then return. I have had no issues with bubbles. Most use more than one bubble trap, but the bubble trap from the overflow seems to stop 99% of my bubbles. but with my systems, the only "fall" is from the overflow.

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hmm... I am pretty impressionable right now... well because I know nothing. So Overflow, fug and then return? So all the water would go to overflow then then fug and then return? No % of water would bypass overflow/skimmer?

Also is there any reason why most every tank I have seen runs the solid PVC pipe? I was thinking about running the flexible pipe... is there a negative to this?

It just seems that the solid PVC is so permanent, and it would be harder to rearrange if need be.

Edited by Mouse
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hmm... I am pretty impressionable right now... well because I know nothing. So Overflow, fug and then return? So all the water would go to overflow then then fug and then return? No % of water would bypass overflow/skimmer?

Also is there any reason why most every tank I have seen runs the solid PVC pipe? I was thinking about running the flexible pipe... is there a negative to this?

It just seems that the solid PVC is so permanent, and it would be harder to rearrange if need be.

I dont get this either. is there any reason pvc is better?

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PVC pipe just looks so much better. It stays in place and does not look like a clusterfork as can happen quickly with loose wires everywhere under the tank, same can happen with flexible tubing. I like to think of it as pride of ownership. Many times it is much cheaper to run the pipe in PVC over flexible because you must "create" several adapters at many of the junctions, IE: barbs screw into bulkheads instead of just gluing a pipe directly into it. The specialty barbs and hose clamps can get expensive quick. Flexible tubing can crimp down over time reducing flow where constricted.

And you mention that it "is so permanent". Huh? Yeah it is. I kinda like it that way. Once I set my tank up I never go tinkering with the plumbing. I can't even think of a good reason to. If I ever have to move I know it costs me about $17 total to completely tear out my plumbing an redo it in all new pipe and fittings. I consider that a bonus getting rid of old mucky pipe. Yet even with that said it is still easy to cut in a tee or whatever and add something to the plumbing.

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The reason I say overflow, fuge, then return is because all of the bubbles if not caught in the bubble trap should be caught in the fuge. With this set up you have all of your water flowing through your fuge before it gets back to your main system, and the other reason I recomend this and this is just my opinion.... I have 2 tanks set up in my house 1 with the microbubble nightmare and the other is set up as described 1st in this post. I have zero bubbles in that tank. Come by sometime if ever in killeen and check out the results. I'm not saying this is the only way, just that this is the way that i have seen work best for me.

I'm having the same issue, but I don't think we're seeing eye to eye. :|

I also don't see why overflow, refuguim then return would be better. The way I see it, it would actually be worse.

Having everything running through the overflow, then the fuge, then to the return would actually mean you have the full volume of water running over one baffle. This seems to me that it would lead to more bubbles in the return.

By splitting it you are running over two baffles which should mean a lower volume of water running over each.

For me I simply think it's a matter of how far I'm letting the volume of water that's coming out of the bubble trap drop. I think I need to raise the level in my return another inch or so.

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