serious question. now that I have my new sump up and running for a couple days my seaclone protein skimmer isn't pulling out much of anything. before the sump my skimmer use to pull out waste like a madman. is it ok to remove my protein skimmer from my system? another question i put my hydrometer in the sump to get constant readings. it not really a in-tank hydrometer will it still give me acurate readings?

About the protein skimmer....I think its the begining of a new movement....Protein skimmerless. I went two months without one....and if my pocket gets empty...you better believe im going to sell the one I have now. If you have a lush macro algae population in your sump along with rock sand and mangroves....your skimmer will work less and less until its completly obsolete. In my sump.....I honestly feel like all it does is add to my electric bill and suck up my pods. I dont know what kinda set up you have, BUT a protein skimmer oxygentates your water like crazy.....so you will be missing out on that. And if you ever have a fish die out of no where....your bio load would go through the roof...and the skimmer would catch the slack instead of your tank. But if you have an overflow...your water is getting plenty of air contact. I wouldnt leave the hydrometer in there.....I doubt it would be accurate. I actually would like to get a refractometer....asap. Those are insanely accurate.

Yeah man. What kinda lights do you have on your sump? I am running 4 24" T5's from Walmart...they are cheaper than homedepot. 6 bucks a fixture..and they have the bulb with them. It puts the equivelent to 280 watts of incandesent over my refuge.....That would help your cause as well. They only draw 13 watts a piece....

is the seclone in the sump or on the tank still ?if it's in the sump you may have to raise the skimmer up a bit.