Skimmer/Sump Plumbing Question

[Majin]

I'll be tackling my first reef tank set up shortly and the main thing I'm confused about right now is the proper way to run my water flow through the sump. I'll have an internal overflow box dropping the water from the tank down through a filtration box into the sump tank where my protein skimmer's pump will take it in. This is the point where I'm not sure how to proceed.

Should I sit my return pump in the same tank as the protein skimmer and directly connect the output from the skimmer to the return pump so that skimmed water doesn't mix with un-skimmed water? Or should I plumb a connection from the skimmer's output to a seperate section where the return pump will sit?

[Tangster]

Just set the return pump and skimmer and heater and anything you want in the sump then fill the water in the tank until it fills the sump to about 6 inches deep . After plumbing is complete plug the main pump and away it will go. I bring my drain line from tank to sump in to one far end from where the return pump will set on the far opposite end. But take the line to sump to the bottom add add 2 90's to make a U and add a stub of pipe to be just above the operating water level of the sump this will put the bubbles up on top and I never glue any of these fittings as the 2 90's set right on the bottom . You may have to cut the little riser stub to adjust for finished water level so don't glue it..