Sump design

[aechild]

I have a 55 gallon display and a 30 gallon sump setup. And I just got a new 100 gallon display and would like to tie everything topgether into one system and since I have two cabinets now I think I may get an extra sump to free up some room for my skimmer or refugium so it brought up the question Is it better to have the refugium before or after your skimmer section? I have seen both done on succesfull tanks and can see pros and cons for both. Just wanted others inputs.

 

[Grant]

You want the refugium AFTER the skimmer. One of the benefits of the refugium is that pods can live and reproduce in it and you don't want those going through the skimmer. There may be other reasons as well, but regardless I've never seen a professionally made sump that had the refugium before the skimmer section. I know that all of Marc's sumps have the fuge either after the skimmer or on a different side with the return in the middle: http://www.melevsreef.com/catalog/acrylic-sumps