Removing refugium?

[USMA36]

I have a 90 gallon display with a trigger 36 sump. I run chato with a 1.5 to 2 inch bed of miracle mud in the 14x12 refugium section. How bad would it be to remove the mud and chaeto? I have a new to me life reef skimmer that I bought to replace my sca skimmer which has been driving me nuts since I got it 3 years ago. The problem I have is that I can't put the life reef in the trigger skimmer section. Even though the footprint of the sumps skimmer section is big enough the filter sock frame takes up too much space and the life reef skimmer won't fit. Will removing the mud shock my system? I plan on draining the sump and using a shop vac to remove the mud. Once that's done I'd replace the water with fresh saltwater.

 

[Apotack]

Do you have room to mount skimmer external?

 

[USMA36]

No unfortunately I do not.

 

[Apotack]

You could remove the mud slowly over a several weeks to minimize the change