Sump re-design, need skimmer location help

[mthedude]

I have read Calfo's threads on feeding the skimmer w/raw overflow water. I currently have a 55g display w/a 10g fuge/sump with a Remora haning off the 10g using it sump sytle and feeding the pump (which the tube has been elongated to sit near the bottom of the sump) with water directly from my overflow. After deciding my skimmer just isn't pulling enough out (3 oz per 24 hours) and never seing my nitrates go to 0 I've decided I need a larger skimmer. So I find a model I like (octopus NW150) and determine it will fit in my 10g sump but I'll have to remove the fuge altogether until I have a larger setup (in the works but most likely awhile to wait).

So my question is basically 2 fold;

1. I'm assuming by directing the tube from my overflow into the sump chamber that houses the skimmer I am feeding "raw" overflow water, correct?

2. What effects will I see from moving all fuge items/inhabitants to the display? Since my nitrates have not gone down to zero I'm assuming w/a larger skimmer I may get them to zero w/out a fuge. Thoughts?

My stock includes;
65 lbs of carribean live rock
70-80lbs araganite sand, some live, some dry
tail spot blenny
black/white damsel
scooter blenny
cleaner shrimp
single mushroom coral
small zoa colony
large hammer/anchor coral
large button polyp colony
large goaniapora
2 small colt coral frags
small fuge w/rubble/sand/chaeto

 

[isotope21]

El duderino,

1. I'm assuming by directing the tube from my overflow into the sump chamber that houses the skimmer I am feeding "raw" overflow water, correct?

You got it. It's that simple. Try to create a separate partition for your skimmer and drain your water to that. Then uses baffles to eliminate microbubbles as the water flows into the second chamber for return to the display. Depdending on the dimensions of your skimmer, this might be a technical challenge in only 10g.

2. What effects will I see from moving all fuge items/inhabitants to the display? Since my nitrates have not gone down to zero I'm assuming w/a larger skimmer I may get them to zero w/out a fuge. Thoughts?

With regard to water quality, nothing will change when you move items between your fuge and display. Obv, your fish/inverts will predate upon the critters living in the fuge that they couldn't get at before.

I think the other questions you might want to ask is: what are my nitrates at now? can i live with that? can everything in my tank flourish with that?

And dare I say it, but frequent water changes are still an effective means of consistent nitrate export.

Good luck,
Pete

 

[mthedude]

Thanks for the info

The skimmer I'm getting does fit into a 10g and my return pump at the moment is just a MJ1200, had to put it in there in a pinch and I then I read about slow sump/fuge flow bennefits so I just kept it in there. I'm going to get a stronger return pump when I get a larger tank but for now I think I'll stick w/the MJ1200 return pump.