Opinions on Sump

OK, I got my wall painted that my new (to me) 55 will be going on (and proud of myself I must say!) and I'm ready to get this tank all cleaned up and set up!

The tank came with a sump that appears by the measurements to hold around 12 or so gallons. I've never had a tank with a sump before, so I'd like some opinions on what to replace the bioballs he had in there with (if anything).

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On the left is the intake. It appears he has some kind of carbon-looking filter sitting on top of bioballs.

The water flows under the first divider into an inch-wide bubble removal area, then over into the refugium with a thick layer of mud (as opposed to sand) and a small rock (looks to have had macro algae also).

After that, it flows over into another inch-wide bubble removal area that he filled with more bioballs, then under the last wall into the return pump area.

I don't know if he had a skimmer on it or not, he included everything but that. I'm guessing not since there's no place to put one either in the sump or even hang on the edge (it has a custom top with a small light for the refugium. I have a couple of old 55-gallon rated hang-on Prisms and a really old hang-on "skilter" that used to be on my 10 gallon, but I don't see how I could use anything like that on the sump at all.

I really don't care to have 2 areas full of bioballs that would have to be constantly cleaned, and I'm not sure about the mud vs. sand. I'd also like opinions as to a skimmer or some kind of filtration (or a reactor? I know nothing about those) and where the heck I'd put it LOL.

I got this entire setup for $300, and I have sand and rock already. I don't want to spend $500 on a skimmer or filter either!

So...opinions? And did I even post this in the right place?

 

And I see already I should have put this in the next section down...*sigh*
Sorry!
Love the fact I could move this myself!

 

Wow, no one. OK, guess I'll wing it!

 

I don't see any room for a skimmer unless u remove the fuge section. A refugium is great to have though. my fuge has sand, rock and macro algae. I think the benefit of mud is that it replenishes trace elements to the water. I would remove the bio balls.

If it were me i would discard that sump or try to sell it and make a DIY one that could fit a skimmer and fuge. they are very easy and cheap to make. u could reuse the pump

 

I agree with this post. Look for a 20 long tank or a 29 gallon tank. Then install baffles after you figure out what skimmer you are going to use and what its footprint is.

 

Yeah, I kinda figured that's what I'd have to do, just replace it. *sigh*