You won't be able to control the water level if you take the gate valve off. You need some kind of mechanism for controlling the water level, gate valves offer the most precise means to do so.
If you're set on keeping your skimmer in sump, you could put it up on a stand of some sort so the valve is a bit higher over the baffle.
If you still haven't decided on your T5 fixtures, I am about to buy mine this week. If we buy together, maybe we can save some money. I'll ask the vendor if you're interested.
Does anyone have a hole saw capable of making holes in acrylic for a 1" bulkhead? I'm in Irvine. It's a 29 gallon tank that I want to modify, so I can just bring it with me.
oh yeah, in terms of what to do about the front doors...no problem. Mine doesn't have a center support either. I have spring loaded magnets that screw right into the top brace. My hinges pop off, too. They're rusted, and I don't know where to buy them, but I can show you one of these times what I'm talking about.
I've also got LS and LR if you're interested in picking up some base rock, I can toss it in my sump or fuge and start to seed it for you so it should be ready by the time you're ready for it.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6228088#post6228088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fmellish
I could switch the return area and the skimmer area, but that doesn't fix the problem. The return area is only slightly bigger. The problem is with the way AquaC states their specifications.
Can I just run the skimmer without the gate valve?