External Skimmer Plumbing

[Caravanshaka]

I'm attempting to determine the best way to plumb in an external skimmer, as I just ordered a Regal 300-ext for my new build. My initial thinking was to feed it with a COR-20, and have the water exit the skimmer into my frag tank, being the sole source of return water for the frag tank. It hadn't occurred to me at the time, how much of a problem micro-bubbles might be...are they as bad on an external skimmer as they are on an internal one? Is the exit into the frag tank viable, or do I need to re-think the plumbing and have the water flow out of the skimmer directly back into the sump?

I am trying to utilize 2 return pumps for my system, 1 COR-20 for the display, and another COR-20 for the skimmer and frag tank.

 

[reef lover]

I would think you could use some sort of filter media on the skimmer return to minimize the bubbles...might have to get creative...

 

[Caravanshaka]

I would think you could use some sort of filter media on the skimmer return to minimize the bubbles...might have to get creative...

Yeah, I am tempted to make a little bubble trap out of the plumbing to get it there...got a little time to play around with it!

 

[roberthu526]

Yeah just hook up a filter sock or some sort and you should be fine. Otherwise the bubble is going to be pretty bad to the point that you can’t see the frags clearly unless you turn off the skimmer for a few minutes. I run the same skimmer on my 300G and if I take the sock off the main tank soon gets filled with bubbles.