Skimmer? Fuge?

JustenT · Feb 25, 2020

Hey, I went to a local coral shop at found a setup. 25g rimless cube with stand, and a small sump. (100$) so I bought it.
the problem I’m having is the sump is more tall than wide. I don’t have room for a microbubble trap if I use a skimmer and fuge. I want to do it right, the stand can’t fit a 10g in the bottom. I want to keep all of the equipment in the sump. I can add a small separation from return if I just do a skimmer. I’ve read that I should have a fuge for my plans (25g mixed reef for my pair of clowns). Do I need a fuge if I buy a beefy skimmer. Or do I add a skimmer and fuge, but not add a micro bubble trap, will they a problem. The tank has a 10x turn over.

35ppt · Feb 25, 2020

A fuge and skimmer are not necessary for that size tank. I've been running a 37 for going on three years with no skimmer or fuge. Just a 5 gallon WC weekly. And if you did decide later on that you want a skimmer or fuge you could always do a HOB option, possibly in the sump depending on water levels down there.

/If you want advise on how to plan out your sump post the dimensions you're working with. Photos will help also. And if I had to choose skimmer or fuge I would choose skimmer.

Gareth elliott · Feb 25, 2020

I agree with @35ppt
What a sump will allow is more volume and a place to hide equipment. I also find them convenient for adding water back during a water change. Put your bucket on a chair and now its higher than the sump and can make a siphon.

another use of a sump on small tanks is an extra location for rock. Allows you to keep less in your display. This can also double as home for unwanted guests like crabs or an unlit cryptic fuge, fancy way of saying a home for sponges.

Fwiw i have hated every nano skimmer i have ever owned. All of them were super finicky and did very little to control my nutrients. One was a hob one that after 3 months i smashed with a hammer, put it in a bag and smashed that some more. The amount of money i wasted on nano skimmers could have bought corals, fish, kick boxing lessons to hit a bag that didn't require cleaning up.

JustenT · Feb 25, 2020

Gareth elliott said:
I agree with @35ppt
What a sump will allow is more volume and a place to hide equipment. I also find them convenient for adding water back during a water change. Put your bucket on a chair and now its higher than the sump and can make a siphon.

another use of a sump on small tanks is an extra location for rock. Allows you to keep less in your display. This can also double as home for unwanted guests like crabs or an unlit cryptic fuge, fancy way of saying a home for sponges.

Fwiw i have hated every nano skimmer i have ever owned. All of them were super finicky and did very little to control my nutrients. One was a hob one that after 3 months i smashed with a hammer, put it in a bag and smashed that some more. The amount of money i wasted on nano skimmers could have bought corals, fish, kick boxing lessons to hit a bag that didn't require cleaning up.

Even if I got a larger skimmer?