Protein skimmer in same chamber as refugium?

[Mmbra]

I am going to start a refugium in my sump in the next couple of weeks but there are a couple of wrinkles i have to iron out first, so i humbly ask for your opinions.

First let me show you a pic of my current setup:

As you can see i have a skimmer section, followed by the planned refugium section. My first problem is that i want the refugium to be lot larger. My first plan was to remove the first baffle all together and just make 1 large fuge/skimmer chamber. This will also lower the water level for the skimmer and i wont have to use as big of a stand.Can you forsee any problems with that? I have seen a lot of videos of sumps with the skimmer and fuge in 1, but i cant find much discussion on the topic. This would be the easiest solution.

If there are too many issues i will have to completely remove the sump and resilicone the first baffle farther left to shrink the skimmer chamber to allow for more sump.

My other question is about the cross brace on this tank. It is positioned in a way that lighting the fuge is going to be problematic. Can i remove or reposition this brace? The tank glass is 1/4" and i think it may be ok to remove it because the tank will only be 3/4 full or less.

Thanks for your help reefers.

 

[Crabs McJones]

One major problem that I can see putting the skimmer and the refugium in the same chamber is your skimmer pump is going to clog up from your microalgae a lot.the center brace removal I'm not sure of. Let's ask the other members of #reefsquad

 

[EmdeReef]

The only problem i see is if algae clippings get stuck in your skimmer pump and clog it. Otherwise I think it should be fine as long as you have enough flow through the sump.

 

[landlubber]

depending how you look at it another downside go running equipment in with your refugium is the pumps will certainly slim your microfauna down as well. if not for that center-brace you could easily switch the skimmer to the middle section and you have a nice large fuge and appropriate sized skimmer section.
I had a similar problem as you and I just said forget trying to make something work and had a custom sump built with my exact specs added in. best decision I've made regarding my tank.

 

[reefndude]

I keep chaeto behind the pump. Pump is just a couple of inches from the acrylic with a rock to the left of it. Body of skimmer is against the acrylic. Occasionally a small piece will slip through after pruning.

 

[jsker]

I would say everyone with the clogging has it covered. It look like @reefndude is making it work. IMO I would want the skimmer first and what the skimmer misses the Cheto and whatever else is in the second chamber can catch. It can work both ways. I would also think that actually the ref first and the skimmer second would be the most efficient and the chito would not starve from lack of nutrients. This is one of the big question I see "what wrong with my chito?" most the time it is lack of nutrients.

 

[reefndude]

It works but need to pay attention. I am in the planning stages of redoing the sump and adding a display refugium.

 

[Mmbra]

After doing some more research on the removal of the cross brace. From the info I've gathered I should be ok to remove the brace because the baffles will be bracing the tank. So my current plan is to remove the brace and move skimmer to middle chamber and use first section as the fuge. Thanks for your help and input everybody.

 

[timnem70]

Thats how I have my ADHI set up. Fuge is in the filter sock section with Red, green and other Macro algae and Rubble. Followed by my monster Vertex Omega 130 Skimmer, then the return section. Growth is great and gets plenty of nutrients. I Just use a 6500k light from Home Depot on a reverse lighting schedule from the DT. Only overlaps by 2 hours and is on for 12hrs daily.

 

[Kayotic5011]

Just before I upgraded my 40 gal to a 120 gal I had a 20 long I built into a refugium. It was a 4 baffle system and I didn't build it for a protein skimmer, which made me have to put it in the same chamber as the actual refugium. Before I added it my refugium was doing ok but without that skimmer on my tank I was having a few problems getting things balanced. Then after adding the skimmer I noticed not only a change in my tank but my cheto started doing better and it was in the same chamber....I will say this though, crabs_mcjones is right on the money. The only real issue I had was having to check daily for small pieces of cheto and other algae's.

Skip to my new set up, Upgraded to a 120 gal and built a 6 baffle refugium for it out of a 40 gallon breeder. This time putting a chamber next just for the protein skimmer....


Its kind of hard to see in the full image of the refugium but here is a little closer shot


I wanted my skimmer to be receiving the water just after the first filtration area then shoot it to the refugium, rather letting it make it to the refugium before the skimmer touched it...Some still does but the skimmer has been doing an amazing job and I think the reason is the way I did the 6 baffles. It slows the water to the point the refugium part has a slow flow and acts as a refugium even at a rate of 750-800 gph (well depending on what the pump is set to as it is controlled by remote and is a 1000+ gph pump), but still the water at the first baffle is slowing it enough to get sucked up by the skimmer at a good rate.....imo so far I think as long as you have a skimmer on your tank your good no mater where its at, it just all boils down to how much you want to clean the impeller on the skimmer pump.

 

[tony'stank]

I have my skimmer in my refugium. Clogging of the skimmer intake with algae is common and easily fixed. The skimmmer body will also have surface algae grow on it on the inside surfaces requiring frequent breakdowns and cleaning. I covered my skimmer body with black vinyl fabric to prevent this.

 

[tthouston]

I read somewhere about how much chaeto algae you need for your big tank, then I realize my chaeto in the sump is nothing compare with my 220g tank. If you want chaeto algae in you system, you need big compartment for chaeto algae or you need another 20g tank beside your sump. GFO creator can do like chaeto does, IMO.
I don't think chaeto algae and skimmer stay same compartment is a good idea, you will spend a lot money if the skimmer pump clog and burn out.

 

[JonnyReefer]

I had separate chambers for the sump and protein skimmer, but took the baffle out and everything is much better now. I positioned the skimmer in the corner of the sump with the outlet shooting water diagonally towards the back, which keeps my chaeto spinning. This also keeps the skimmer inlet in the bottom corner, away from any chaeto trimmings. I used rubble to build an alleyway just high enough so the chaeto can't escape. It also gives the rest of the fuge adequate flow.

 

[landlubber]

I had separate chambers for the sump and protein skimmer, but took the baffle out and everything is much better now. I positioned the skimmer in the corner of the sump with the outlet shooting water diagonally towards the back, which keeps my chaeto spinning. This also keeps the skimmer inlet in the bottom corner, away from any chaeto trimmings. I used rubble to build an alleyway just high enough so the chaeto can't escape. It also gives the rest of the fuge adequate flow.

just keep an eye on it as eventually the refugium light will inspire algae to grow on the inside of the skimmer which will impact its ability to build a foam head and skim properly.

 

[JonnyReefer]

just keep an eye on it as eventually the refugium light will inspire algae to grow on the inside of the skimmer which will impact its ability to build a foam head and skim properly.

Yea already have that problem with the skimmer neck above the baffle. A little extra skimmer maintenance is worth the new efficiency though, at least for me.

 

[landlubber]

Yea already have that problem with the skimmer neck above the baffle. A little extra skimmer maintenance is worth the new efficiency though, at least for me.

a light blocking cylinder that sits around the skimmer with perforated base that lets the water flow through might be a sweet solution. i was just reading about bucket surrounds for skimmers on the main page.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

One major problem that I can see putting the skimmer and the refugium in the same chamber is your skimmer pump is going to clog up from your microalgae a lot.the center brace removal I'm not sure of. Let's ask the other members of #reefsquad

Agree.