Refugium and protein skimmer question

[Belladauna]

So I just bought an aqueon proflex model 2 sump and am turning the middle section into a refugium. A few questions.

1. A) How do the Copepods not get killed by the return pump on the way back to the dt, or do they? B) Do I have to manually transport them by exchanging LR?

2. Regarding a protein skimmer; A) I feel if I put it in the 3rd compartment any potential Copepods or larvae will just end up getting skimmed, am I valid in this concern? B) should I keep it in the display tank, or is the overflow box already acting as a skimmer? C) do I need the skimmer anymore using The sump?

3. Should I be putting crabs and snails in the refugium as a clean up crew?

I think that's it.

Any help is appreciated,

D

 

[dmolavi]

Most people put the skimmer in the first compartment in the sump (where the water comes in from the DT), and have it's output go to the 'fuge (via a bubble trap).

 

[Pizza101]

Skimmer should go in the first chamber, then the fuge, and finally the return. Some pods will make the journey and some wont but they all will be eaten! i put some snails and a few blue legs in my fuge. I went the deep sand bed for mine. Check out some miracle mud ( i might order some of that next week or so).

 

[fishmonkey]

The pods will be fine. Sure, not ALL of them will make it through the pump, but most will. Generally you want the fuge to be right after the protein skimmer, as stated above, because the skimmer has this bad habit of sucking pods out of the water, so you want to give them the best chance of survival in the tank.

You should still use the skimmer. The overflow box is just bringing water to the sump. Yes, you can put snails and such in the fuge as a CUC.

What do you plan on having in the fuge?

 

[Belladauna]

I can't put the protein skimmer in the first chamber as it won't allow for it. Unfortunately with the model I bought its somewhat blocked off. So it either has to go in the 3rd or remain in the DT.

As for what I'm putting the the fuge do far magic mud and I dunno what else yet. As for fish in the dt, I just have a psychedelic mandarin, purple firefish, and two clowns. Not densely populated. There are a few peppermint shrimp some snails and hermit crabs and some awesome coral stowed away in some LR I bought and has grown a lot.

I dunno what life to put in the fuge. Sorta seeking some advice on that I guess.

I guess that's it, but now you know my issue with the skimmer. So it's either the dt or chamber 3.

Thanks

D

 

[fishmonkey]

For the fuge, you would put a light over it, and some rock, and some chaeto algae.