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Tank is operational!!

One small thing that might be important, the canister size for the skimmer may be more of the problem than the rate. Since your sump is small, the large canister may "consume" too much of the total volume. If you add enough water to fill the canister and the sump to needed levels, the sump will overflow (this assumes the canister is on the OUTSIDE. Placing the caniser INSIDE would avoid this complication since it will displace the same amount of water that it holds (keeping the water level up but not setting up an overflow situation when it is turned off. A major benefit of putting the skimmer INSIDE the sump is that any small leaks (I have these set up both ways and have never had a problem but I have had problems with other brands) or cup overflows are contained in the sump and not on the floor.
 
Here is the 1st compartment i was talking about. These pics were taken awhile ago. There will be modification to the lid so no worries. I am having problems uploading the two sketches
 

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You will have to lower your water level to accomodate the full volume of the canister, no matter what approach you take so think about how you can alter the bio-ball area to accomodate a lowered level. If I am understanding the situation correctly, it is not the pump that is the problem but the amount of water the skimmer needs to function (canister volume) since it will be returning the water as fast as it is drawing it in. The smaller unit is more likely to work in the small sump but you still will have to make adjustments.

Can you lower the tray and overflow wall so that the sump water level can be lower to accomodate losing the full canister volume?

An alternate approach would be to extend the piping to release the water over the bio-balls (Joe, would this be too much flow? Since I don't use them I am not aware of flow requirements but it does not seem it would be more than as it is set up when the first chamber is full) and then cut a hole in the bottom of the separation wall to allow water into the first chamber so that it can access all the water coming into the sump.

How much water flows to in that box to the left? Could you make it large enough to fill the canister and cover the pump + 2"-3"?
 
Looking at your diagram, using the existing refugium won't work for the same reasons. The exit point is higher than the water contained in the skimmer. You would not be able to lower the water level the needed amount and still have it overflow to the sump. If you can put the skimmer inside the fuge and it sits so that the full canister is submerged, you might have an option there but if the skimmer is taller than the fuge wall then it is not viable.

You show a water level in the sump of just over the return pump. Is this the normal height? With an overflow system, the height of the water in the sump is directly controlled by the amount of water you put in the lowest point (assuming your exit from the tank does not exceed the return and if that was not the case you would be overflowing your tank). I THINK all you need to do is add enough water to cover the new pump when the canister is full. However, the canister must be able to fully dump back into the sump without overflowing when the skimmer is turned off. You may have to reduce your bio-ball media depth to solve the problem. Raising the floor for the bio-balls should be relatively simple if you can find a piece of egg crate. I have used 4 equal lengths of PVC pipe to raise this kind of grid.
 
Thanks D! Yes i will get back with you guys more on this soon, very soon i hope. But remember these are just sketches requested. The water level is low like that for the return pump generally right at the bottom of the bio-ball compartment. I will try to upload more and better pics of the wet-dry later today. I will try to get some pics that will help you guys help me out alittle more, as for some reason im having a hard time giving a description of the problem. So sit tight and pics will be coming soon, to hopefully assist. LOL
 
Think through my attempt at explaining why the volume of water in the lowest part of the system is dependent upon how much you put in that container. I think the solution will be to raise the water level but you may have to allow additional flow past the wall to accomplish this OR place the skimmer on the side of the return pump. This might be the better option.

To experiment with my point, have a bailing bucket ready since you may find the sump is just too small for the canister size, put the skimmer in the sump on the side with the return pump and add one full canister of water to the sump. When the skimmer pump is turned on, this will maintain the same levels you have running in the system now. If you cannot add one full canister of water then you can't use this skimmer in this sump. If the skimmer pump needs deeper water than your return pump, you will have to add an additional amount to cover the skimmer pump. Since you are pulling from and returning to the same container, the water flow of the pump has nothing to do with the problem.
 
I must have looked right over that.. sorry D. When you say caribbean cucumbers, which would fall into this? I have two black ones in my reef tank upstairs. Um, what about like sand sifting stars? Ive had luck with them in the past. Peppermint shrimp or coral banded?
 
I believe the plain cucumbers that clean the sand. I have seen them in unremarkable colors blacks/ browns. I have not had good luck with sand sifting stars therefore I would only keep serpents and brittles. (any color but green) Peppermint shrimp are able to avoid capture by octopuses, (I think either they are too fast or have an umpleasent taste) not sure it this holds true for cuttles. My peppermints reproduce regularly but they are canabalistic and eat the young. I have no experience with cuttles but from my observation they appear to be much more efficient hunters. For stirring the sand I rely on nassarius snails, they reproduce regularly however none have grown to adult size, they get eaten also.
 
Peps and bandids are expensive fare. I am fairly sure the cuttles would get both even though I have two peps that have out lived numerous octos - there were two in one and three in another tank but only one in each was wiley enough move to the opposite side of the tank at the approach of its shrimp eating tank mate. The plain cucs from the Caribbean are the ones I suggest. Not much to look at but less likely to foul a tank. I have a cool little guy in Neal's nano (home to Slither, one of our mantis shrimp) but I don't know the name. He is knobby and a boring brown but eats algae off of everything and does not bury. I have asked Kara to source another for me to put in with one of the octos but she has not come across another yet.

As for the bandid, they are such interesting shrimp that it would be a shame to put one in there. We thought we were OK with Harvey when we put our Niger Trigger in the tank and Harvey showed him who was boss. That worked for about two years and Harvey cleaned the parasites that developed on the Trigger after he was in the tank for a week. Then Harvey lost one arm. It grew back but he disappeared shortly there after. If it had not been for the missing arm I would have assumed a natural death since we had had him for over 5 years but I suspect the Trigger eventually took him out. I would like to get a mated pair of them but don't have a tank that will stay safe unless I don't use one for a ceph.
 
Alright, sound good. Thanks for the advice and the stories. I also have another quick concern. As stated before im running two Koralia pumps. Each rated at 750gph... I have recently put in a candy cane, a torch, some green finger leather, devils hand leather, and a couple mushrooms(as of the past week :smile: ) and i have been noticeing a change in attitude and behavior of these corals opening. The lighting is the same, the only thing different is the current. I think it might all around be too much current for a ceph tank as well. I think i could get by with the reef portion as i believe most corals come to get used to water movement. But im not sure about Cuttles and eventually a Octopus. Keep in mind that the tank is 5 foot long, but 18 inches high, by 18 inches wide. The pumps are on each end of the tank. The live rock will be officially set up one day this week and some of the peices glued together. So i guess i will have to see after that where and how i will place the pumps to try and maximize efficiency for the corals but lower flow for the cuttles and give them room and space to get out of it. Im not too sure how im going to achieve this though. And as from the videos ive been watching they seem to be stronger swimmers than most.
 
You might think about putting them in the center back and having them aimed at the outside walls so each would blow about 2.5'. The current would then hit the wall and keep a current in the front by not blow everything away. I put 3 of the large ones in the 140 reef and have always lamented getting them over the next size down (I have since reduced the number to two). The one place that it has been great is in my 4' tall but 16" diameter tank. I have it at the bottom and it circulates water very well without negatively impacting the fish or the anemones.
 

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