[ralphie16]

Setting up a new tank with three sumps. One will be for my skimmer and the other will be a refugium-type setup that will house a special little fish, and the last will be a true refugium without any fish, just algae, live rock, etc. I do not plan on using any sort of mechanical filter.

What order do I put these in?

I was thinking first the sump with the skimmer.

Then this goes into the fishless refugium and then this goes into the refugium with the pipefish.

But I was thinking it may be a better idea to have the skimmer last so all the leftover food that comes form the display can go into the fishless refugium so the little critters have lots of food input to reproduce, etc. Then the pods and stuff will make it over to the pipefish to eat, and then finally the water will be cleaned by the skimmer before it goes back to the display that will house large predatory fish who dont need pods.

Sound sounds smarter?

[ralphie16]

I meant which sounds smarter?

[leebca]

With proper circulation and turnover rate, the location of the skimmer shouldn't be a concern. Pods don't tend to eat leftover foods added to the fish tank. They tend to eat micro algae, and those that are carnivores eat other pods.

Putting the skimmer at the end of the line, but before the refugium, so that the better water quality is entering the display is a slight advantage to allowing other polluting sources to add their organic wastes to the water that is sent to the display.

The arrangement sounds a bit more like two aquariums and one sump and one refugium rather than three sumps. But, call it whatever you want. It will work out.