Fuge before skimmer

[smellslikefish]

Hello, my sump is set up so the flow from the DT goes through my fuge before it hits the skimmer compartment then finally the return. Should the skimmer be before the fuge? I've read that it could cause problems.
Thanks,

 

[phtby]

i would leave the skimmer after the fuge. reason being if any of your macro algae goes asexual the skimmer will help to reduce the bioload before it gos back into the dt...... especially is you have like grape caulerpa... it loves to go asexual... just my 2 cents

 

[smellslikefish]

I was asking because I've heard that the fuge can trap nitrates and before it got to the skimmer. Any opinions on this? would it be worth changing my set up around?

 

[prime311]

If it aint broke dont fix it imo.

 

[chilwil84]

you want the skimmer before the fuge. it will help remove waste earlier in the waste cycle thus allowing the chaeto to polish it clean. when the skimmer is after the chaeto there wont be as much for it to remove because the skimmer works on waste that hasnt been broken down by the nitrogen cycle. i am saying chaeto because it doesnt go sexual unlike calepora

 

[phtby]

i completely agree as long as it is cheato.........

 

[smellslikefish]

I am using cheato. It might be a pain to rearange my sump the way its set up. I'll post some pics later tonight.
Thanks

 

[earlybird]

I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think it's a big deal at all. There's no way that all of the water is "polished" in the fuge area the instant it goes through leaving nothing for your skimmer.

 

[afboundguy]

I would put the skimmer before the fuge for the reasons mentioned above but also because you might loose some of the critters that grow in the fuge when they are sucked up into the skimmer. I know it wouldn't be a lot of critters but I'd want all those critters to make it back into the DT.

 

[gatorwpb]

Originally Posted by earlybird
http:///forum/post/2630386
I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think it's a big deal at all. There's no way that all of the water is "polished" in the fuge area the instant it goes through leaving nothing for your skimmer.
While it may not be "all of the water is polished" in the fuge area, any reduction of waste or nutrients that get caught in the fuge area will result in less efficient skimming IMO.

 

[renogaw]

but if there's less to skim, what's the issue?

 

[chilwil84]

less waste that the skimmer can remove not necasarily (dam i cant spell) less waste

 

[smellslikefish]

I thought the issue was that the waste was getting trapped in the fuge and causing nitrate problems. The skimmer would catch the waste before it got trapped in the fuge if it was before it.

 

[mike murphy]

Well I'm not sure it makes a whole lot of difference. Is all of the water that goes to the skimmer getting skimmed? I have a ZeroDOC300c knockoff that will flow about 1,800 gph which is too much flow for a fuge. Solution? I have a large 4 inch collection manifold that is floor level running the length of my 125 that feeds 2 pumps at opposite ends which goes back to the display and the skimmer. Some of the water comes from the display tank, some from the skimmer that spills into a large sump that is baffled to get rid of micro bubbles. My fuge is fed very slowly with water from the display tank and dumps into the collection manifold so I don't worry about the before or after.
If you'd like some pics I'd be happy to share.

 

[mr_x]

not all of the water is getting skimmed. and the water that is skimmed, might not be skimmed 100% with one pass. and if your caulerpa goes toxic, a skimmer is not going to stop it from reaching the display.
i've seen tanks where this happened. the tank i saw looked like skim milk in a matter of minutes. no skimmer is going to slow that down.
the reason you want the skimmer before the refugium is so any pods that escape the refugium have a good chance of being drawn up to the display, to re-populate it, and be a food source.
having pods get processed by the skimmer, is not going to help the tank

.

 

[prime311]

I still say if it ain't broke it, don't fix it. Yes, the skimmer before the fuge is better, but unless hes having any problems with Nitrate or a lack of pods then theres no real benefit to making a change. The only reason to make a change for the sake of change is because you want to do it for fun.