how should i set up this sump

new2reef2

New member
here is a picture of the bottom of my new 35 gallon nano. (my first attempt at a reef/salt tank). so i need to plumb it the tank has a overflow box built off the back of the tank with two holes in the bottom of it for drain. what my understanding is that I run the drain pipes into the section to the left of the hole made for a filter sock. I set the pipes about 1 inch under what the water level will be. then the water runs up and over into the section where the filter sock should go. after that the water runs into the section in front of that, that should be where the skimmer is installed. then the water goes into the big section on the left where the return pump should be hooked up.

now my question is should i fill that area up where the filter sock goes with bio balls? can i have a return pump in the refugium or can i have the refugium before the skimmer and the skimmer in the same part as the return pump.

this is my first set up so im open to any and all options for the sump.
 

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I would forgo the bio balls. They trap organic materials that then decompose and cause high nitrates.

Ideally the skimmer should be upstream from the fuge:
Display, filter sock, skimmer, macro algae (fuge), return pump, display and so on.
 
the angle of the pic of the sump is throwing me off, it looks really small on my screen. How many gallons is the sump or what are the dimensions of it?
 
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