Reef Octopus BH-100SS Help

I'm looking at the Reef Octopus BH-100SS to get for my first tank. It will be 17.4 Gallons. I had a few questions. My main draw is that it hangs on the back and provides a place for other items. Is this a good place to put the heater (what is a reliable heater brand?)? Will this extra space sort of act as a refuigem in a sense? How difficult is it to set this model up?

Reef Octopus Hang on Back Protein Skimmer BH-100SS

Also, don't know if this is the right place to ask but is a sump nessecary for tank like the one I am describing if I have a power head and a protein skimmer? I will try my hand at some clown fish/cleaning crew first then maybe a coral in the future.

 

hi lxwarr30

The Reef octopus brand is pretty good IMO
although I have no experience of locating heaters in HOB skimmers
never tried this, always been happy enough to have them in DT or sump

Sump - you do not need one for a tank of that size IMO, sure having a sump is a benefit
but its not essential
the skimmer is a good investment

it will not act as a refugium on its own
there are HOB refugiums, which you add sand, macro algae etc and a light source above
but the skimmer IMO would not be an ideal location to try doing that to

many people have converted HOB filters, such as Aquaclear models to HOB fuges, but I have never seen anyone try similar with a skimmer

Steve