Skimmer in-sump or beside-sump?

[Mnementh]

What are the benefits one way or the other on placing your skimmer in our out of your sump? I am currently designing my sump and deciding on which skimmer to get but wasnt sure if one location was better than the other. :confused:

[dattack]

It really depends on whether you have room or not to place it in sump or beside the sump. Either way will work but pretty much work on the same concept where both ways will need to get water from the main system via a bulkhead/overflow/or a small pump.
WHich one will be easier for you to maintenance should be one deciding factor and of course the efficiency of the skimmer.

[Mnementh]

I have plenty of room in my cabinet for a stand alone, and since I am going to make my own sump, there would be plenty of room for the skimmer I use.

I figure the pump that feeds the skimmer from the sump has to be in the sump either way unless I want to plump it externally with a bulkhead, and I am going to have the skimmer return the water to the same location in the sump no matter where it is located.

Does the efficiency of a skimmer change depending on where it is located?

Is it easier to maintain an external skimmer? It seems like it would be.

[dattack]

It really depends on the type of skimmer also. For CC skimmers, it might be best if you have it next to your sump given that most efficient CC skimmers will require a very tall chamber. Therefore, it could be standing outside your stand if the stand isn't tall enough.
If you use a becket foam head skimmer, I believe that it might be easier to manage with bulkheads and using an external pump such as iwaki.
If it's a needle valve skimmer, the skimmer is most likely in sump.
You have to decide which type of skimmer and the dimension of the skimmer before preceding with your sump plans.

[Mnementh]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered a skimmer from myreef so hopefully I will be able to answer a lot of the space/setup questions when it arrives.

:)

[nofilter]

i have a berlin skimmer outside of my sump. here's my pros: more space in sump for live sand and rock and critters and low light poly grow-out in reverse light cycle as main tank.
here's my con: sometimes takes awhile and many trips to the hardware store to get the plumbing leakproof AND quiet, while still being efficient.
overall, i'd say i like it outside. but it's nice when it's in the sump, guaranteed leakproof, if there is a small plumbing leak.
i think we all know what cleaning up water is like.