Equipment in the sump

[Devinhouchens]

So I have a 75 reef ready tank and just built a 20 gallon sump . I spread the bubble trap out more then normal. I have the drain in one chamber and then was going to put a protien skimmer then return pump in the last chamber. I have a small protien skimmer that could fit anywhere but it only does 30 gallons. Should I just go with a big refugium and little skimmer thats better then nothing or just forget refugium all together, thank you!

 

[Gablami]

There is no “right” answer to this. You could go with a fuge and small skimmer, or a larger skimmer and no fuge, or a fuge and no skimmer. You can also choose one and change it later if it’s not meeting your goals in terms of filtration.

 

[Spare time]

I prefer refugium with strong light and no skimmer. If this doesn't work, then you can always switch. The refugium will no doubt work better than the tiny skimmer.

 

[Duncan Tse]

Me personally I like to run an oversized skimmer and no fuge

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

u should have made the return pump chamber smaller now the main chamber for filtration is kinda small i mean i doubt that ur pump is THAT big and is gonna fill the whole chamber
@Devinhouchens
i would do refugium in center chamber after 2 filtersocks with chaeto and a strong light (AI primefuge would work since that chamber isnt too big.
then in the last chamber add a slightly undersized skimmer (itll still work since its the last filter the socks, and chaeto would prob have removed all of the stuff already; the chaeto is like a sponge) so ur skimmer already has less stuff to remove and if u think it wont fit I think it will:

this skimmer only has a 4"x5" footprint its tiny and rated up to 132G on RO's site

Lightly Stocked - 132 Gallons
Medium Stocked - 75 Gallons
Heavily Stocked - 40 Gallons

itll fit in the pump chamber with whatever pump u have i'm confident (unless ur running dual returns or ur pump is just an old massive oversized one :-/ )
the only downside i can think of doing this there will be no bubble trap after the skimmer (not too big of a deal tho the skimmer is a good quality one and not many bubbles will escape anyways)
i think its worth it tho that way u can have a proper sized fuge and a skimmer too

and imo in the 2 baffle spaces in the first one i would put 1 block of marinepure and in the 2nd a bubble trap sponge

EDIT: i said u have a smaller protein skimmer what brand and model is it? if u dont wanna buy a new one just go with big fuge in middle like i said and put that small tiny one u have rn in the pump chamber

 

[Devinhouchens]

u should have made the return pump chamber smaller now the main chamber for filtration is kinda small i mean i doubt that ur pump is THAT big and is gonna fill the whole chamber
@Devinhouchens
i would do refugium in center chamber after 2 filtersocks with chaeto and a strong light (AI primefuge would work since that chamber isnt too big.
then in the last chamber add a slightly undersized skimmer (itll still work since its the last filter the socks, and chaeto would prob have removed all of the stuff already; the chaeto is like a sponge) so ur skimmer already has less stuff to remove and if u think it wont fit I think it will:

this skimmer only has a 4"x5" footprint its tiny and rated up to 132G on RO's site

Lightly Stocked - 132 Gallons
Medium Stocked - 75 Gallons
Heavily Stocked - 40 Gallons

itll fit in the pump chamber with whatever pump u have i'm confident (unless ur running dual returns or ur pump is just an old massive oversized one :-/ )
the only downside i can think of doing this there will be no bubble trap after the skimmer (not too big of a deal tho the skimmer is a good quality one and not many bubbles will escape anyways)
i think its worth it tho that way u can have a proper sized fuge and a skimmer too

and imo in the 2 baffle spaces in the first one i would put 1 block of marinepure and in the 2nd a bubble trap sponge

EDIT: i said u have a smaller protein skimmer what brand and model is it? if u dont wanna buy a new one just go with big fuge in middle like i said and put that small tiny one u have rn in the pump chamber

Yes I just have the aquatic life skimmer? It was a cheap one I had on a bio cube. It will definitely not be big enough for the tank but it would be something. I've seen peopled cool things with bigger bubble traps I was going to try, what is the name of the skimmer you sent?

 

[Daddy-o]

I run a Bubble Magnus Curve and it runs fine in the same chamber as the return pump. I dont see any micro bubbles.
Cheers! Mark

 

[Devinhouchens]

Yes I just have the aquatic life skimmer? It was a cheap one I had on a bio cube. It will definitely not be big enough for the tank but it would be something. I've seen peopled cool things with bigger bubble traps I was going to try, what is the name of the skimmer you sent?

I see what you're saying. I just figured that there wasn't much room to put a bunch in so I just made the return pump bigger so top off would be easier

 

[Devinhouchens]

I run a Bubble Magnus Curve and it runs fine in the same chamber as the return pump. I dont see any micro bubbles.
Cheers! Mark

Definitely going to look into it, thank you!

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

Yes I just have the aquatic life skimmer? It was a cheap one I had on a bio cube. It will definitely not be big enough for the tank but it would be something. I've seen peopled cool things with bigger bubble traps I was going to try, what is the name of the skimmer you sent?

I run a Bubble Magnus Curve and it runs fine in the same chamber as the return pump. I dont see any micro bubbles.
Cheers! Mark

yes so as daddy-o said just put ur skimmer in ur return chamber if u get a good quality one there won't be micro bubbles (even if there are it doesn't matter) just get the one in my pic it's a reef octopus classic 110-SSS straight body skimmer since it's by reef Octo u can be sure it's a high quality skimmer ur bio cube skimmer is too small save for another tank (middle chamber for fuge with ai prime fuge and chaeto)

 

[piranhaman00]

Slow the flow through the sump down and the skimmer should work. I run a skimmer and fuge on both my tanks but I think the skimmer does way more work.

 

[mfinn]

Someone said, "There is no right answer". I agree.
What I do and has worked for me for a couple decades is I use a 3 chambered sump.
First chamber is incoming water and the skimmer. This area has a baffle that keeps the water level at a set height.
I like to use the second chamber ( the biggest) as a refugium.
The 3rd is the return area. ( smallest) I use a external pump so this area serves as a extra equipment area and it actually is the calmest area so it also serves as a settling area for detritus which I syphon out during water changes.

 

[piranhaman00]

Someone said, "There is no right answer". I agree.
What I do and has worked for me for a couple decades is I use a 3 chambered sump.
First chamber is incoming water and the skimmer. This area has a baffle that keeps the water level at a set height.
I like to use the second chamber ( the biggest) as a refugium.
The 3rd is the return area. ( smallest) I use a external pump so this area serves as a extra equipment area and it actually is the calmest area so it also serves as a settling area for detritus which I syphon out during water changes.

And where the ATO sensor goes, I use this same set up but internal pump.