Cheato then skimmer, or skimmer then cheato?

[McPikie]

For people who run a fuge, which way do you run it, and why?

At the moment, I let my cheato have first dibs on the water coming down the drain. My skimmer can take anything left over. My train of thought is if I run the skimmer first, it may take out too much of what my cheato needs, causing it to crash.

However, my middle chamber of my sump is over double the size of the drain, and I think this would benefit size wise to being the fuge.

Anyone care to advise?

 

[fish farmer]

My chaeto is first by sump design if nothing else. In my new sump the first chamber is deeper, then flows into the skimmer chamber which is lower, then a couple baffles into the return pump area.

 

[lariat8099]

Following

 

[Gareth elliott]

Skimmer first, fuge second.

2 reasons
Main how my trigger sump is designed to run.

2 if run the other way make sure no algae leaves fuge or will be cleaning your skimmer more often.

 

[Jeight]

I run Triton and the Triton layout showed Fuge first then skimmer then return pump...was a custom sump and just from the aspect of chaeto breaking off and ending up where I do not want it I might be inclined to go skimmer first had I known. I have rubble in the fuge and the chaeto ball catches on the rubble and tears off shards of free flowing chaeto which is not ideal.

 

[reelredfisah]

My 48” trigger sump is designed for skimmer first. Been running that way since 2014 and still going with no issues. Keep in mind your skimmer only takes in a portion of the water. So a percentage still flows right to the refugium.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

In 100% honesty, I don't think it matters. I have only heard anecdotal reasons for one or the other. Personally, I have run them both ways and didn't notice any difference.

It's not like the refugium or skimmer can filter out 100% of the water passing by it right as it passes by 24/7. It works more on an "eventually" 100% of the water gets filtered process.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Skimmer then refugium

 

[MnFish1]

I would think you would want the nutrient rich water to first enter the refugium - which will remove some organics - and then into the skimmer - wouldn't this make the skimmer need to be emptied less often (i.e. more efficient)- and maximize the growth of whatever you have in the refugium?

 

[MnFish1]

In 100% honesty, I don't think it matters. I have only heard anecdotal reasons for one or the other. Personally, I have run them both ways and didn't notice any difference.

It's not like the refugium or skimmer can filter out 100% of the water passing by it right as it passes by 24/7. It works more on an "eventually" 100% of the water gets filtered process.

There are systems that do this (i.e. using one pump through the refugium - and only that water goes into the skimmer (and vice versa).
I have my algae reactor and skimmer in the same 'area' I'm the sump -so I am also in the camp of 'it probably doesn't matter'

 

[Crabs McJones]

I would think you would want the nutrient rich water to first enter the refugium - which will remove some organics - and then into the skimmer - wouldn't this make the skimmer need to be emptied less often (i.e. more efficient)- and maximize the growth of whatever you have in the refugium?

I do skimmer first for two reasons. First is that is how my sump is setup, it simply doesn't allow for the skimmer to go anywhere else. And two, unless you have a sponge or some sort of filter media between the two, running the chaeto first and then the skimmer clogs up the skimmer pump with gunk and chaeto bits (sounds like a type of dog food ;Hilarious)
I suppose I could switch the chambers, but I dont know that i'd want the chaeto in where the filter sock is, and I don't really want to run sockless.
I've ran systems both ways (skimmer then fuge, fuge then skimmer) and can say that I have not noticed a difference in water parameters or algae control.