Sump question

[Blakskall]

ok so i am totally new to sumps and refugiums but i understand the logic behind them, im thinking about making a DYI refugium and had a question, for the overflow instead of making a siphon out of pvc, i was thinking, could i use a regular water pump to move the water to the refugium and another to move the water from the refugium to the return?

what i mean is, placing a water pump in my display tank, run it to the refugium, and then in the return area place another pump, to pump it back into my display tank.. I'd imagine i have to make sure the flow is right

 

[Phranque]

what i mean is, placing a water pump in my display tank, run it to the refugium, and then in the return area place another pump, to pump it back into my display tank.. I'd imagine i have to make sure the flow is right

No, you don't have to make sure your flow is right.... you'd have to make sure your flow is perfect, or you're going to overflow one or the other. In other words, VERY bad idea. The best set-up is an overflow in the tank and a return pump from the 'fuge. That way the only water coming out of the tank is what's being supplied to it..... if the pump dies, the water coming back to the 'fuge stops as well. If you have two pumps, and one dies..... well, I have a good mental image of that disaster.

Problem I have with a siphon is that if you have a power outage, your pump stops working, but the siphon will continue until it gets low enough to break said siphon. Then the power comes back on, water starts going back into the tank, but you no longer have a siphon returning to the 'fuge..... again, another entertaining mental image.

 

[Blakskall]

Could i make an overflow, or would i have to buy one?

 

[Terrance]

Better to buy one if you don't know much about them. Look into the CPR overflow. I think I remember you saying that your tank is already setup. Reconsider getting it professionally drilled. Most people regret not drilling in the beginning.