Idea to maxamize fuge space?

[wetWolger]

I want to have as large of fuge as possible. One thought I have had in that is not create a section past the fuge for the return water in my sump. What I mean is only have one small section for where the overflows output, and where the skimmer pulls water from....but then have the second section be a massive fuge. Having the return pump pull from a large screen that sits in the corner of the fuge.

Has anyone done this before? Any comments about how often a screen like this would get clogged with macro's or any other problems I am not seeing?

[seapug]

It'll work as long as you don't have sand in your fuge. If you use an external pump with an intake that's up high it might work, but submerged return pump anywhere near sand will be like a vacuum cleaner.

[Tswifty]

I have a combined refugium/return section similar to what you described. Except I had a small baffle installed that is as tall as my return pump so no macro or substrate gets sucked into the return pump.

I got the idea from www.melevsreef.com and his 20g long sump.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/tswifty8/New%20Rimless/Refug3.jpg

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/tswifty8/New%20Rimless/Refug2.jpg

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/tswifty8/New%20Rimless/Refug5.jpg

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll128/tswifty8/New%20Rimless/Refug6.jpg