Plumbing Advice- raw water to sump -> refugium? Or split to both?

[gbreynol]

I have 2 different people telling me to plumb my system a different way. Any advice which is best? I looked at all the "Tanks of the month" but there is no real clear answer.

I just purchased a 180 gallon aquarium with 2 built-in 600 gph overflows. I am setting up a separate 40 gallon sump, and a 70 gallon refugium in my basement. After researching I have found that I should plumb each overflow separately(1" pipe). So I will have 2x600gph flowing downstairs.

How should I plumb this?

Option #1 Sump gets fed with raw water, Refugium gets fed with raw water. They both drain to my return pump(iwaki 70rlt).

Option #2 Sump gets fed raw water, overflows to refugium, and return pump sends water to display tank.

Is there a better way? Thanks for your help.

[sjm817]

I've run tank drains direct to fuge and didn't like it. You wind up with detritus in the fuge, raw food, etc and it becomes a nutrient sink. I have a 180G, basement 75G sump, 65G fuge. I have the drains going to the sump, and a T from the return feeding the fuge which then drains back to the return area of the sump. It has worked out very well. You can control how much flow goes through the fuge this way as well.

[gbreynol]

Thank you! That makes much more sense.