Refugium and Skimmer in AIO Waterbox Cube20

[Takito]

Planning to put a refugium somewhere in my filter chambers. It is 3mo old, stocked with a pair of clowns, royal gramma, goby, cleaner shrimp, conch, 5 snails, 5 hermits, and some Zoa frags. I have an IceCap K1 nano skimmer that I plan to install next month, but I need a refugium for co2 management as my pH is 7.4 sometimes 7.39. I also plan to stock this tank heavily with coral and maybe add a Mandarin Dragonnet. I got some algae that I thought would look good in the display but it doesn't and I have a grow light so might as well start it. I just don't know where to place it. First chamber has a small filter cup for floss and chemipure, but I have about 3"x10" space for algae. I could also divide the middle chamber with egg crate and have refugium and skimmer in there. Finally, just to make sure, refugium goes first then skimmer right?

 

[Jseimo]

Skimmer first then refugium. That said a refugium that small won’t do much for ph. More likely you need to aim your power heads up and get more surface agitation of your water. I’d caution against a mandarin in a tank that small, the refugium might not populate pods fast enough to keep the little guy fed.

 

[slagman]

I'm interested in doing the same thing too just got the tank but I don't think you can peel off the black backing like the I.M. aquarium. I was going to use a filter caddy with the refugium under it. The the skimmer in the second compartment with bio. Would you get more nutrients for algae then after the skimmer