To Sump or Not Sump?

[NJFishMan]

I'm going to be converting my 75gal Freshwater Angelfish Tank to a Reef Tank. I'd like to go with all live rock and a skimmer. Should I use a hang on the back skimmer or a sump based skimmer? Should I use any additional filtration? And how do you setup a skimmer in a sump being that my existing tank isn't a "reef" ready tank? Meaning... getting the water down to the sump... is there some kind of water collection device that hangs on the back of the tank? And does the hose then connect directly to the skimmer with another hose comming out of the skimmer to return the water to the tank... if that's the case then why would the sump be needed? Or do you draw the water down to the sump and have the skimmer fed from a different pump? I'm confused...

[griss]

NJFishman,

[welcome]

I always recommend going with a sump if you have room for it. It adds extra water volume which helps maintain more stable water quality. And gives you a place to hide ugly equipment like heaters, skimmers, etc.

Griss

[gas4544]

Here you go, read this:
http://www.marshreef.org/Sumps101.html

[Bender]

I would reccomend you go with the sump also. All the reasons stated above are very good reasons. As far as skimmers go there are many different skimmers and ways to connect them. Some skimmers are plumbed into the overflow line from the tank to the sump while others require seperate pumps to feed them.

Bender

[DgenR8]

Aside from the added water volume and more stable system and a place to hide equipment, the amount of oxygenation and gas exchange that a sump can provide is very helpfull.
Your skimmer can also be run off your return pump by adding a simple "T" to your return line with a ball valve attached to controll the amount of flow to the skimmer.