protien skimmer placement

[Rsquared333]

I am creating a 46 gal saltwater reef tank with a 30-40 gal sump/fuge in which will place lr rubble, live rock, a dsb, and microalgae. I plan on buying an aqua c remora pro, will the preformance of the protien skimmer be hurt if I hang it on back of the tank instead of in the sump or will it be more effective to have the aqua c remora urchin in the sump? the reason I can't put the pro on the sump is that I am designing it to be able to hold extra water if my overflow box's siphon is broken since my tank is tempered glass and I can't drill.

 

[RLG2182]

If you put it on your display tank, I would imagine that you might run into some microbubble issues that other people here in AA have experienced. Other than that, I think it's still the same. That and the fact that you have another pump in your tank (if appearances are a concern to you with an extra pump hanging there). I don't really think that hanging the skimmer on the side of the sump will take much water displacement at all. The only thing that really goes in the water is the pump (Mag3) and that doesn't take up that much room at all.

Not sure if you mentioned if you'll be putting an overflow box or not... but just make sure that you'll end up getting one. Rather impossible to have a sump without an overflow box if your tank isn't drilled... when power turns back on, you'll flood your tank, and ruin your pump. Just a thought...

~~Rob

 

[phishead]

If the overflow box siphon is broken,(which it shouldn't if it is designed correctly) your sump will not fill it will empty. It will overflow the main tank. But, It is good to leave yourself a little room anyway.

I don't think it matters where you place the skimmer, although it is nice to not see it by hiding it in the sump. The water entering it is the same. I have noticed a little more production out of my SEA clone however since putting it in the sump. I believe this is because the distance the water travels in the pipe is shorter, but it doesn't make that much of a difference. I probably just adjusted it better. :?

 

[malkore]

in sump skimmer are more efficient than hang-on models. If you have a sump, I'd go with the urchin.

 

[Rsquared333]

thanks for the advice. I just made some adjustments in the design and I could easily get the urchin in there. It just needs to be somewhere before the bubble trap and the return area right?

 

[RLG2182]

Correct... make sure it gets placed before the bubble trap, and that it's in an area of the sump where the water level will remain constant.

 

[Rsquared333]

How deep of water does the urchin have to be in?

 

[RLG2182]

I believe they list up to max. 9 inches... but big thing is to make sure water level stays the same. Would put the water at least 2 inches above the pump inlet to make sure it doesn't make any gurgling noises. So most likely somewhere in the 5-9 inch range. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Cheers

~~Rob