Best way to fix my SUMP

[BurgerFish]

Hello,

At first, I want a Triton Method and create my SUMP like this:
Refugium - Skimmer - Pump

But now my refugium is always dirty and the skimmer sucks the pods. All the dirt settles in this chamber. I regret not making it like this:
Skimmer - Refugium - Pump

But how can I fix it now? The filter sock helps, but the water becomes stagnant with it.
Option 1: Redone the SUMP. Remove it, remove the buffles and redesigne it. It can be complicated.

Option 2: Put the drain to the middle chamber and put some 200GPH pump there, to pump the water from the middle chamber to the fuge. It's an easy solution, but the pods will be sucked by skimmer anyway.

Option 3: Put the skimmer in the return section (if it'll fit) and return pump in the middle. Advantage: the skimmer will be farther from the fuge LED and it'll be easier to block the light from it.

Option 4: Leave it as is and always use the filter sock.

My SUMP:

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I've ran option 3 before. My sump was a 50b. I used the middle for a pump return.
Drained from display into skimmer section.
The pump T'd off and went to an ATS and the fed the very far fuge area.
The fuge i put smaller rock pieces. Deep 6" or so sand bed. Whatever else lol.
It just overflowed to the mid pump area.
Peninsula tank.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

E.g. move ur skimmer.to the right. Take the far 2 left baffles out or at least 1.
Hths
D

 

[madlos123]

If you can fit a black bucket under there you can use that as a refugium :) or a black mini trashcan.
If you can you only need the most left baffle and you can remove the rest :)

 

[BurgerFish]

Like that is OK?

 

[Tamberav]

I have had it set up with return in middle and T'd off.

Honestly mine is set up like yours now. I have a small jeabo in the fuge area and don't find any problems with it going fuge > skimmer > return. Some coralline grows on my skimmer side but doesn't interfear with the skimmer itself... seems to grow on the outside of it. Pods are not really killed by a skimmer any more than the return pump, seems I have tons in the sump either way.

 

[BurgerFish]

@Tamberav

A small piece of chaeto from the fuge sucked by the skimmer and eventually clog it (skimmer still works, but need the adjustment), sponge helps, but not at 100%.

 

[BurgerFish]

The sump was fixed.