Adding a skimmer to a sump that has bio filters

[Madness008]

I'm new to this. My sump is kind of small and partitioned. The skimmer I got would fit in the right partitioned where the pump is, and I could keep the bio balls and everything on the left side. A fish shop employee said thats not how I should set it up, but I didn't understand why. Does it negatively impact the skimmer performance if the water flows through the filter pad and bio balls first?

I believe the lid on the left side is removable. How would you set it up? Do I need a new sump?

 

[CC13]

I'm new to this. My sump is kind of small and partitioned. The skimmer I got would fit in the right partitioned where the pump is, and I could keep the bio balls and everything on the left side. A fish shop employee said thats not how I should set it up, but I didn't understand why. Does it negatively impact the skimmer performance if the water flows through the filter pad and bio balls first?

I believe the lid on the left side is removable. How would you set it up? Do I need a new sump?

From what I can see, the only problem with having the skimmer in the section with your return pump is having micro-bubbles in your main display tank as there will be no way for them to dissipate before being sucked in by your pump and fed into the display.

You could try a hang-on-the-back skimmer in your sump section with the bio balls:

https://www.marinedepot.com/search?...ein$2520Skimmers$253EHang$2520On$2520Skimmers

 

[Madness008]

From what I can see, the only problem with having the skimmer in the section with your return pump is having micro-bubbles in your main display tank as there will be no way for them to dissipate before being sucked in by your pump and fed into the display.

You could try a hang-on-the-back skimmer in your sump section with the bio balls:

https://www.marinedepot.com/search?...ein$2520Skimmers$253EHang$2520On$2520Skimmers

Would the micro bubbles be problematic beyond being unsightly? HOB was a good idea, but I already bought the skimmer.

Would the skimmer be filtering the beneficial bacteria from the bio media, rendering them pointless?

Or....maybe I can put the skimmer in the left side, keep some of the bio balls in there with it, and put some of the bio in the right side with the pump

 

[CC13]

Would the micro bubbles be problematic beyond being unsightly? HOB was a good idea, but I already bought the skimmer.

Would the skimmer be filtering the beneficial bacteria from the bio media, rendering them pointless?

Or....maybe I can put the skimmer in the left side, keep some of the bio balls in there with it, and put some of the bio in the right side with the pump

No there is nothing problematic about the micro bubbles - just sometimes unsightly.

And no, the skimmer would not reduce or filter any of the beneficial bacteria regardless of where you place the skimmer.