New sump

[nick76lebanon]

Im adding a sump to my current tank thats being run on a canister filter. I am setting it up in pieces just because its a bit expensive, should i buy the protein skimmer or the refugium stuff first? The canister filter will still be running until i get my sump completely up and running well. Any thing else you can tell me about setting up refugiums and protein skimmers helps as well!

 

[andrewey]

First, are you sure you need either? More so, are you sure you need both? As funds are limited, make sure you're being thoughtful to only use a tool if you really need it and not just because they are commonly employed. There are benefits to each piece, but you should be mindful of what your goal is and what it takes to achieve that goal. Certainly a refugium can be cheaper than a skimmer, but is your end goal nutrient reduction, pod population, oxygenation, etc.?

I'm not trying to suggest you shouldn't install either- I just want to make sure you're not "keeping up with the Jones".