refugium or no skimmer?

[Alexreefer]

I am in a very hard debate. I am wondering if i should get a skimz kone sk181 and put in in the refugium section of my aqueon model 2 sump. There is not enough room in my return pump chamber to hold the skimmer and my rio+2100 return pump. I was thinking of getting a little hang on back refugium such as the finnex external refugium from amazon. This way my skimmer comes first and my refugium overflows into the aquarium via return pump. Any thoughts? If it was you would you put the skimmer first or the refugium? My tank is a 75 gal aqueon tank and Im in trouble with extremely high nitrates and I cant bring them down. huge water changes all most every two days and still it wont budge. Any ideas are greatly appreciated

 

[Gareth elliott]

This would depend if the fuge has sponge or something else to keep the algae out of the skimmer pump. If algae can go into compartment 2 skimmer first, if not skimmer second. This way the gas exchange occurs right before return and the silt can be deposited in the fuge where the microorganisms there can decompose.

 

[Dom]

I have both. My refugium comes before my skimmer. This gives the refugium to all it can eat, and the skimmer removes what remains. Anything after that is removed via the water change.

 

[Gungo]

Between skimmer and refugium, I would go skimmer all the way... Skimmer will input directly air to your tank and will maintain the PH while taking all the waste in the water.. You need a really mature refugium to export all the waste that the skimmer will do right after it breaks down.. Good luck! ( Of course, if you can't have both )

 

[Alexreefer]

Thanks for all the reply's i am at the home stretch figuring out which skimmer. Any recommendations. looking for under $250