Plumbing a chiller directly to a skimmer?

I bit the bullet and bought a chiller. The chiller is running now, but with an old pump I had that is a little below suggested flow. So I was looking at getting a bigger pump for the chiller. Then I started to think...my chiller and my skimmer would operate well at around 600-800 gph. The chiller can handle much more. What if I got a slightly larger pump for the chiller then plumbed the chiller return directly to my skimmer. This would account for the loss in flow throughout this plumbing and get the 700 GPH that my skimmer now enjoys. This would decrease the total pump # and total power needed. Also in case you're wondering, I don't have the extra $ or room in my sump for a pump large enough to just split the outflow between the 2.

Chiller is a JBJ Arctica 1/4 HP (480-1930 GPH) and the skimmer in an AquaC EV-180 (operates well at 700 GPH)

Any thoughts?

 

I'd think it may be better to put a filter on the water before going into the chiller. Last thing a chiller needs is the insides filling up with fish poo to make the heat exchange harder. I might be wrong though, you may not have any problems doing that. Hope it works well, whatever you decided to do.

 

I'm a little hesitant to put the skimmer in line first because the skimmer outlet is not supposed to have any back pressure to it. I figure that putting the chiller first (although I see your point), would be no different than just having a seperate pump for the chiller (as far as poo goes).

 

having the chiller first then the skimmer shouldnt be a problem as long as both gph's are met. another way around this would be to have the chiller inline with your return pump.

 

it will work just fine as long as the gph is met in the skimmer. You may be better off tho going with something like a 900 gph pump. You may lose quite a bit of pressure running through your skimmer