If you are a beginner in this hobby, I personally think an in-sump skimmer is a good option because of the risk of leaks on the external.
By a fuge, I mean refugium where you grow special algaes in order to use up excess nutrients from your main display... It's also a good site for various pods (little shrimp like things) to multiply safely before they make the trip up to the display to be eaten by your fish.
As for backflow, look at it this way. When power goes out, you pipes are full of water, but the pump in the sump is not pumping it back up to the display. Your overflow will continue to drain until the water goes below it's openings and your return pipe will become a siphon until little holes you drill in it stop that siphon from sucking your entire display tank back down into your sump where it has no-where to go.
If you search our sumps on here, I'm sure you will find a variety of ones with build threads. Their size doesn't matter, it's just the principles that you should look for.
Quote:
Originally Posted by my3kidsdad
May we ask.. Which do you prefer- in-sump or external?
If by fuge you mean refuge for fish to get away from predators, no, we will probably not have the external room for a refuge.
That is interesting.. how much backflow is normal? and should the sump be run at a level lower than the expected overflow?
I will have to find out what a ATO is.. lol.
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