Finnex 20g with refugium or with protein skimmer?

[monsaas]

Hello, I am trying to decide between which nano Finnex tank to get they make both in a 20g setup, but one has a refugium and the other comes with a protein skimmer. So it's either get one with the refugium or a skimmer. I was thinking of getting the one with a refugium and adding a skimmer. but there is no place it could be use (no room). I am planning on starting off with just a couple fish and some easy corals so witch would be the best to get for my needs. Also note the one with the refugium cost $20 more than the one with the skimmer.

Thanks for any response

[jberd]

That is the exact question I was going to ask. This tank looks awsome. I have read nothing but great things about them. I was going to go with the skimmer one unless I was told otherwise. I would leave the first floss filter in, remove the second add rhowa phos, use carbon in the third with some 1 to 2 inch chunks of live rock at the bottom of the rain filtration.
Modify the tank to have a spray bar run across the bottom back and add a second return nozzle in the opposite lower corner. Add a probe chiller and upgrade the lighting to either the hqi compact or hqi t-5 combo.
What do you think.

[jberd]

Here is a pic for you guys to look at. What do you all think.



Attachment 45978

Attachment 45979

[Wiskey]

If the choice is one or the other, I would ALWAYS go with a Skimmer.

No question. A skimmer does far more for water quality then a fuge does.

HTH,
Whiskey

[pledosophy]

I run tanks with no skimmers and only refugiums for nutrient export. i like the fuges because they are a place to breed pods which will then feed the tank.

IMO that fuge area looks kinda small. If those were the only options, I'd go with a skimmer.