external skimmer??

[teresaq]

does an exteral skimmer go over the side kinda like a hang on or does the tank need to be drilled??

 

[scsinet]

Do you mean an external protein skimmer or an external overflow skimmer box?
External as it relates to protein skimmers usually just means a skimmer that can sit in a dry area outside the sump. As long as it's positioned so that the sump's drain (outflow) can drain back into the sump via gravity, then the sump need not be drilled.

 

[teresaq]

external skimmer-I am building a new sump using a 40 gal, so i am looseing about 10 inch from the 55 gal I have now. If I mke the skimmer section 12 to 14 then my fuge protion will only be about 8 inch. Thats why i am thinking external. otherwise, I will have to find a skimmer with a small footprint including pump.

 

[mr_x]

teresa. you can hang a skimmer on the side of your sump. then all that you will have to account for is the pump that hangs inside. you can put that in the intake area of the sump. check out the aqua medic turbofloater. it's better than the remora, by far.

 

[teresaq]

I was looking at that one last night. thank you so much,

 

[scsinet]

Also keep in mind that the skimmer section is only to control where the water is drawn from. You can set the skimmer in the return section, and just put the pump for it in the skimmer section, if that saves you some room.