Skimmer Question
- Thread starter bunzaroo
- Start date
freedominco
New member
I think that you want it before your fuge, or you could out the return pump in the middle and the fuge on one side and the skimmer on the other then have the display drain into your skimmer and to the fuge.
Capt_Cully
Active member
I like to run mine before my refugium. My personal theory (ok, a guess) is that the skimmer will catch all the crud on its way down from the display. And, the refugium will benefit from anything the skimmer misses. The combo will leave cleaner water in the return pump compartment. I have my GFO in the last compartment as well.
That's just how I justify it in my head. Is it right? I dunno, seems to work. Are there a million different ways to do it? Yup!
I think the important thing is that you've got a skimmer and a refugium.
That's just how I justify it in my head. Is it right? I dunno, seems to work. Are there a million different ways to do it? Yup!
I think the important thing is that you've got a skimmer and a refugium.
I've never really understood having the skimmer before the refugium. If you're growing macroalgae, why not give them a feast instead of just the leftovers? I let my fuge have the "dirtiest" water, and whatever it doesn't use, the skimmer gets.
That said, with 150gph or so moving through my sump, I doubt there's a really significant difference between the water quality in my first and second chamber, so it probably doesn't make too much difference either way. That's my theory on the matter, though.
Of course, another option that seems fairly popular is to split your drain and have half the water go to the fuge while the other half goes to the skimmer. It all meets back up in a third chamber in the middle and gets pumped up to your DT. In short, there are all sorts of ways to do it, and I don't think there's really any one correct answer.
That said, with 150gph or so moving through my sump, I doubt there's a really significant difference between the water quality in my first and second chamber, so it probably doesn't make too much difference either way. That's my theory on the matter, though.
Of course, another option that seems fairly popular is to split your drain and have half the water go to the fuge while the other half goes to the skimmer. It all meets back up in a third chamber in the middle and gets pumped up to your DT. In short, there are all sorts of ways to do it, and I don't think there's really any one correct answer.
Capt_Cully
Active member
The refugium is there to pick up any excess phosphates and nitrogenous wastes. By pruning the macroalgae that does grow, you are thereby exporting wastes from your water collumn. Wastes that are otherwise missed by the skimmer.
The point of the refugium, for me, is NOT to grow macroalgae for the sake of growing it. So, no, I don't want it to get the "dirtiest" water. Or the water with the most DOC's (disolved organic compounds). I want it to pick up whats left over, so I can get rid of it.
True it does add a place for pods to proliferate, but I don't think their population would be affected either way. "Dirty" or "Cleaner" water.
That's the theory I subscribe to, and my reason for a fuge. Like Island Crow points out, lots of ways to do it :thumbsup:
The point of the refugium, for me, is NOT to grow macroalgae for the sake of growing it. So, no, I don't want it to get the "dirtiest" water. Or the water with the most DOC's (disolved organic compounds). I want it to pick up whats left over, so I can get rid of it.
True it does add a place for pods to proliferate, but I don't think their population would be affected either way. "Dirty" or "Cleaner" water.
That's the theory I subscribe to, and my reason for a fuge. Like Island Crow points out, lots of ways to do it :thumbsup:
