need help with sump/fuge design

[pochaxoo]

I have been busy building out my basement tank support room and I am trying to design a safe system for water in the basement. I don't want to mis-designing the whole thing and end up with puddles and too much flow etc.... I have attached a diagram that uses my existing 30G sump and a 55G tank and a 15G high tank I have. I am hoping that this design will make the water level vary in the 15 gallon return area and that I can add a ATO there. I have thought of having the return pumps directly on the 55 gallon but I don't want to have to leave the extra space I would need for when the power goes out. I have about 14 feet of head I am climbing, so there is a bit of water that will come back during power out. My only worries are how low and how high all these tanks need to be position to make gravity work for me. I suppose having to sit low for the fuge and frag tank is not too bad.... I am hoping to flow around 800 gallons/hour through this system and would appreciate any recommendations anyone has. I don't know if that is a problem for a refugium or not? Any help or advice is appreciated.
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[xyzpdq0121]

The only thing I see (after a quick look because I am tired) is that it appears like you are going to have A LOT of flow through this thing. It is not a wise idea to have this much flow (about 800 gal/hr) going through your fuge. (even alot for a sump of your size, 30 gal) Too fast of flow to get the most out of your fuge. You might want to think about Ting off the floe and rejoining it all in the return area or the frag area. Think about running your sump at about 300 gph flow, your fuge (as pictured) at about 150 gph and your frag area at about 150-300 gph depending on what type of frags you want, softies vs. SPS.

 

[texhorns98]

Yep, tee that drain off the sump and have 75% go into the frag tank (flow is good there, right?) and have 25% go to the fuge. You can put a baffle an inch higher than your sand bed and put egg crate the rest of the way up. Gravity and drain placement should keep most of the actual flow towards the frag side of the tank, but the "open" design of that baffle section should allow for plenty of flow from the fuge outward. Good for pods and stuff, but macro algae will be kept in place. The only reason to have a solid baffle instead is if you want to keep animals in the fuge that could climb egg crate or otherwise get through. I wish I had room for this kind of set up!!

 

[texhorns98]

Also, make sure your ATO works really well, or maybe make your return tank larger. 15 gallons is not going to go very far in a 180 gallon system. Just a thought.