Where to route skimmer

[jbailey52]

Hello everyone. Moving my 90 gal tank and sump/fuge. I have an MRC-1 skimmer which is currently In one section on the sump. This is how my setup is now. Overflow water comes down from the tank in one pipe, splitting into 2 befor entering the sump. My sump has three compartments. The middle is the fuge and then right is the skimmer pump and slimmer. The water from the tank goes into both of these. The pump for the return is in the far left compartment. When redoing my sump I need to move the skimmer external (found out the return needs to be above the water line, which I cannot do in sump. So to avoid the skimmer re-skimming the same water, I was thinking about having the water from the skimmer piped past the middle section which is the fuge and go right into the tank return pipe section. I also want to have the water from the tank only go into the middle compartment which is the fuge so any debris from the tank can get taken care of in there. Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[acrylic51]

Have you been using the MRC skimmer on your previous tank or your first go round with it......

 

[jbailey52]

Same tank, just moving up from an upstairs bedroom to in wall in my office. I have been using it for a year but saw somewhere it should not be in sump, so I talked to MRC guy and he said the return needs to be above the water line

 

[acrylic51]

I ran an MRC 3R years ago, but ran it external in recirc mode......I do have a buddy that lives about 45 minutes away that's been running him MRC 1 in sump with a magdrive pump.....That is correct that the drain of the sump must be above the water level in the sump or it will put back pressure on the skimmer, and it won't operate correctly.....

 

[jbailey52]

Yea and how it is setup now I don't have the room to raise it under the stand, but in my new setup I can do it outside the sump. Also using a mag 12 pump. What about my thoughts on the plumbing?