How to Pump Water From Your Refugium to Your Aquarium

Refugiums are designed to be a secondary natural filter for your display aquarium. They do have other uses, though--in saltwater tanks, they are excellent breeding grounds for copepods, amphipods and other small creatures that make up the bulk of most aquatic fish diets. The question is how to get water from the refugium to the tank. The best bet is a simple pump-and-drain system that you can set up quite easily.

Things You'll Need

  • Water pump (Maxi Jet power heads work very well)
  • Plastic tubing
  • Scissors
  • Threaded elbow barb or aquarium outflow hardware
  • Zip ties
  • Loc-line or other outflow plumbing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Calculate the outflow of the water coming from the display aquarium or sump to determine the size of the pump that will be needed for an equal return. A 1-inch bulkhead or overflow drain flows at a rate of 600 gallons per hour. This being said, a 1-inch overflow would require a pump of at least 600 gallons per hour outflow to balance flow evenly.

    • 2

      Slip the plastic hose over the outflow of the pump. If using a Maxi Jet power head, a 5/8-inch hose will fit perfectly over the outflow.

    • 3

      Measure the hose to the length that will be required to reach from your display or sump to the refugium and cut with clippers or scissors to the appropriate length.

    • 4

      Slip the opposite end of the hose over the barb elbow that will go to the aquarium, making sure that it is pushed on well.

    • 5

      Ziptie the hose to the outflow of the pump and to the barb fitting to prevent any leaks that may occur.

    • 6

      Screw the Loc-line or whatever output you plan to use into the threaded side of the barb elbow.

    • 7

      Plug the pump in and test the flow.