Overflow Question

[fishfood]

I was wondering if i can use a fluval surface skimmer or the Eheim Surface extractor for an overflow into the refugium. I had wanted to run a fluval as the return from the refugium to the main tank and was wondering if the surface extractor/ skimmer would work rather than a overflow box. I'm just afraid that an overflow box with the fluval would be too much water going into the refugium. Or should i just get the overflow box and put a valve on the hose flowing into the refugium to control the flow. All suggestions would be helpful!
By the way i'm trying not to spend a lot of money on this so I would like to use the fluval as the return instead of buying a new pump.