KingNeptunesBounty

First question is does the tank back up to anything? Could you put the external Skimmer on a stand behind it to have the overflow go into it maybe feed it by gravity or That will be the first challange that you will have is how will you feed the skimmer? If it's not going to be in a sump. I think once you figure this out then you just have to have it return to the tank.

So again
Feeding the skimmer
Return to tank

Agreed, the way a external skimmer works is from the overflow flowing direct into the skimmer intake and then exiting to the sump. yours would exit to a pump which would get water back to the display...however, the other challenge is evaporation. the only control you will be able to use is the water level in the display. If it get too low it can stop siphoning and the pump would run dry.

Originally Posted by Ray

First question is does the tank back up to anything? Could you put the external Skimmer on a stand behind it to have the overflow go into it maybe feed it by gravity or That will be the first challange that you will have is how will you feed the skimmer? If it's not going to be in a sump. I think once you figure this out then you just have to have it return to the tank.

So again
Feeding the skimmer
Return to tank

Ray, I have the tank directly located in front of a wall with about 4 inches of space. Unfortunately I would love to breakdown the wall but it is not my house. I do however have a space directly to the right of it that I could get a cabinet that I can hide the Protein Skimmer above the aquarium and just have a pump pull the water from the aquarium into the skimmer and left gravity feed it back. Do you think that would work?

Originally Posted by Midnight

Agreed, the way a external skimmer works is from the overflow flowing direct into the skimmer intake and then exiting to the sump. yours would exit to a pump which would get water back to the display...however, the other challenge is evaporation. the only control you will be able to use is the water level in the display. If it get too low it can stop siphoning and the pump would run dry.

Midnight, I am going to be putting a Tunze Osmolator to address that issue. For the time being I am very diligent about manually topping off my water.

Originally Posted by KingNeptunesBounty

Ray, I have the tank directly located in front of a wall with about 4 inches of space. Unfortunately I would love to breakdown the wall but it is not my house. I do however have a space directly to the right of it that I could get a cabinet that I can hide the Protein Skimmer above the aquarium and just have a pump pull the water from the aquarium into the skimmer and left gravity feed it back. Do you think that would work?

I think that pulling from the tank with the skimmer pump could work but may not work very well. Maybe if you could place the skimmer in a small cabinet next to the tank or under it in the cabinet in a small sump. What you are trying to do is definatly not something I have seen done without a sump or a HOB skimmer. You could turn the external one into a HOB skimmer maybe with a little modification.

Originally Posted by Ray

I think that pulling from the tank with the skimmer pump could work but may not work very well. Maybe if you could place the skimmer in a small cabinet next to the tank or under it in the cabinet in a small sump. What you are trying to do is definatly not something I have seen done without a sump or a HOB skimmer. You could turn the external one into a HOB skimmer maybe with a little modification.

Ray, I don't want to use a sump in this setup at all. i would rather have an external pump pull water from the aquarium into the External Protein Skimmer and let the water fall back in by gravity. Just curious if anyone else other then me thinks this will work. If not I may just stick with the available Hang On Back Protein Skimmers.

Honestly, why not use a sump. Your basically plumbing the tank as if you have a sump to feed the skimmer, but not taking advantage of ALL the benefits of having a sump. A place to store equipment, a better way to run an ATO, dosing equipment etc etc I could go on. I know your against it, but I think you should reconsider. I wouldn't even think about setting up a sumpless tank.

Originally Posted by sedor

Honestly, why not use a sump. Your basically plumbing the tank as if you have a sump to feed the skimmer, but not taking advantage of ALL the benefits of having a sump. A place to store equipment, a better way to run an ATO, dosing equipment etc etc I could go on. I know your against it, but I think you should reconsider. I wouldn't even think about setting up a sumpless tank.

Sedor, I know I am a bit hard headed... well more then a bit. But I honestly think that it is possible to operate a thriving reef aquarium without use of a sump. My warrant to wanting this aquarium to turn out successful is mostly due to other members of the community blindly telling me that I cannot and that I am just wasting my time and money. In the end if I fail then it is all on me.

I can see your point totaly King, We kept reef tanks without sumps in the early days, but when they did come into the hobby the added water volume was to good to pass up. No0w for your tank one way to assist in no sump is to use a plenum, This will handle most of your nitrate problems without having sump. As far skimmer goes, the balanceof yuour pump in and pump out would very difficult to achieve is its on the floor, If it was above the tank it could use gravity to let all the water to be cleansed to re-enter the tank. It could be done but there would be a bunch of math and calulations to determine head loss on the return pump to the tank. I can check out some calulators available that could help with that but I think it would be better served to have hang on the back unit.

Originally Posted by Reefdaddy

I can see your point totaly King, We kept reef tanks without sumps in the early days, but when they did come into the hobby the added water volume was to good to pass up. No0w for your tank one way to assist in no sump is to use a plenum, This will handle most of your nitrate problems without having sump. As far skimmer goes, the balanceof yuour pump in and pump out would very difficult to achieve is its on the floor, If it was above the tank it could use gravity to let all the water to be cleansed to re-enter the tank. It could be done but there would be a bunch of math and calulations to determine head loss on the return pump to the tank. I can check out some calulators available that could help with that but I think it would be better served to have hang on the back unit.

Reefdaddy, I think I may honestly just purchase a Hang On Back Protein Skimmer for this aquarium. Might just be easier in the long run.