Fuge before skimmer ok?

[NasotheHutt]

I'm working on my filtration and it would work best if it went through the fuge first. Is this ok? Would skimmer first be better? Does it even matter?

 

[mfinn]

I think you will get many different answers, just because I believe there is no right answer. Either way will work.
I prefer to have my skimmer first, the refugium.

 

[Dyraxe]

The skimmer WILL filter out anything that goes in it. All the different types of plankton, pods, food, nutrients, ditritus, waste, etc etc. You are most likely going to get the best results with any refugium unfiltered and pouring directly back into the main tank. You do not want a refugium plumbed back into a UV as well. It will kill everything as it passes.

 

[cloak]

The skimmer WILL filter out anything that goes in it. All the different types of plankton, pods, food, nutrients, ditritus, waste, etc etc.

I don't agree with this at all. Just because something goes through the pump doesn't neccessarily mean that it's going to wind up in the collection cup. There's a lot of water going in and there's lot of water going out. It's really easy for things to get caught up in the mix and slide by. Skimmers are really good at what they do, don't get me wrong, but there not 100% efficient in a mechanical sort of way.

 

[NasotheHutt]

The skimmer WILL filter out anything that goes in it. All the different types of plankton, pods, food, nutrients, ditritus, waste, etc etc. You are most likely going to get the best results with any refugium unfiltered and pouring directly back into the main tank. You do not want a refugium plumbed back into a UV as well. It will kill everything as it passes.

I can't really have it above. I have a small basement room for the sump, but to conserve space I wanted to use the room under the stand for something. (this is a 180) I was thinking of going with a tank or two under the stand that the overfloes would run into and then down through the wall into a tank in the basement which would be the sump. I was origonally thinking of putting the skimmer in the tank(s) under the tank and the refugum in the basement, but I don't really want the water level fluctuating that much in the fuge. So I'm thinking about putting the fuge in the stand and partition a constant water level area of the sump for the skimmer, and let the rest act as a normal sump.

 

[zma21]

I would say it's ok.

This may allow more nutrients to hit your fuge before it gets skimmed, but either way will work. It's not like you'll create a black hole by going against the grain.

Good luck. :dance:

 

[goldenboy]

FWIW, I have my refugium before the skimmer and return pump, which are in the same section.